Sanoli's Kitchen

Saturday, September 15, 2012

HOMEMADE OREO COOKIES: FAUXREOS

Baking Partners, a baking group created and hosted by Swathi Iyer, I am a part of this group, this time Baking Partners decided to go with the theme cookies. Being part of the 'Baking Partners - A Group of Home Bakers' , our challenge for this month, suggested by Reeni of Cinnamon spice and everything nice is Homemade Oreo Cookies: Fauxreos adoted from Serious Eats.

Very delightful and crunchy, with an intensely chocolate, not too sweet taste, very dark in colour; this cookie tastes divine. This homemade version comes close to matching the taste of those wonderful cookies. The texture here little different, as I wanted to give a square shape. it tastes really awesome!

INGREDIENTS:

FOR COOKIES:
3 OZ / 85 gm/ 6 tbsps Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup Sugar
3 tbsps Dark Brown Sugar
3/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp + 1/8 tsp Baking powder
1/4 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Instant Coffee powder
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Egg Yolks
3/4 cup All Purpose Flour, sifted
3 OZ / 85 gm / 1 cup Cocoa powder, sifted

FOR THE FILLING:
2 OZ / 56.7 gm / 4 tbsps Unsalted Butter at room temperature
5 OZ / 141.7 gm sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
A pinch of Salt

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: If you cut cookies in round shape, cookie cutter is required (but here I cut cookies in square shaped so I didn't use cookie cutter) and ziploc bag or pastry bag.

METHOD:

TO MAKE COOKIES:

Using a hand mixer set to medium speed, cream together butter, both sugars, salt, baking powder, baking soda, instant coffee powder and vanilla extract until combined. With mixer still running, add in egg yolks one at a time.

Once incorporated, shut off mixer and scrape bowl down with a rubber spatula.

Turn mixer to its lowest setting. Dump in flour and cocoa powder all at once. The mixer will be stiff. Continue mixing until uniform. Shut off mixer.

Use a spatula to scrape the dough from the bowl and knead lightly to form a smooth ball.

Use your hands to flatten into a disc.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Sift some cocoa powder onto the counter (using cocoa instead of flour gives the fauxreos their uniquely dark colour). Use a rolling pin to roll the dough in 1/8" thickness. When finished, slide a metal spatula between the dough and counter to be loosen. This will prevent the cookies from sticking.

Here, I cut with my knife and try to give each cookie in a square shaped. Use a metal spatula to lift and transfer to cookie sheet. The cookies will not spead during baking, so they may be arranged quite close together. Set the sheets aside. Gather up, knead and re-roll the remaining dough scraps, likewise cutting and arranging on a cookie sheet.

Do some design a top of each cookie. Once the cookies have been decorated, bake for 12 minutes or until firm to touch. If your oven has an uneven heating element, rotate the cookie sheets after 6 minutes. Once the cookies have baked, cool thoroughly directly on the cooling rack.

TO MAKE THE FILLING:

With a hand mixer, cream together butter, powdered sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Cream on medium speed for 5 minutes; use a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl down periodically. Using a spatula to transfer the filling to a pastry bag or ziploc bag with the corner snipped off.

TO ASSEMBLE THE COOKIES:
Flip half the wafers upside down. Onto each pipe 1 tsp of filling directly into the center. To finish, top with remaining wafers and press down with your fingers, applying very even pressure so the filling will spread uniformly across the cookie.

Transfer cookies to an airtight containter and refrigerate for several hours. This is crucial. After whipping the filling, it will be quite soft. Refrigerating it will solidify the filling, restoring its proper texture and bonding it with the wafers. Serve and enjoy!