Sunday, July 26, 2009

Milanos at Home - July Daring Bakers Challenge

The July Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Nicole at Sweet Tooth. She chose Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies and Milan Cookies from pastry chef Gale Gand of the Food Network.


Thankfully this month we DBers can be counted as a participant by completing either the Milans challenge or the Chocolate Covered Mashallow Cookies challenge, of course both were fair game too. July very unexpectedly picked in pace for me in addition to being away from L&S to visit home, mom, friends, and family for five days in PA. Regardless, I'm back and ready to release all the dishes I've been stockpiling since my last appearance. Also, look for my iPhone Photo Diary article at Eat, Live, Travel, Write as a guest blogger this August 2nd, 2009 featuring the lesser-known, yet none-the-lesser delicious foods of the Philadelphia area (Thanks Mardi!). I'm excited to showoff my childhood foods in the upcoming article, but without further ado-THE MILANs!

Milan Cookies
Recipe courtesy Gale Gand, from Food Network website. I didn't change nearly anything at all, but truly enjoyed executing this recipe for an amazing homemade cookie version of a brand favorite.

Prep Time: 20 min
Inactive Prep Time: 0 min
Cook Time: 1 hr 0 min
Serves: about 3 dozen cookies

• 12 tablespoons (170grams/ 6 oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 1/2 cups (312.5 grams/ 11.02 oz) powdered sugar
• 7/8 cup egg whites (from about 6 eggs)
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons lemon extract
• 1 1/2 cups (187.5grams/ 6.61 oz) all purpose flour


Cookie filling:

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1 orange, zested (omitted this, but added peppermint extract later for about 1/2 the batch).
  1. In a mixer with paddle attachment cream the butter and the sugar.
  2. Add the egg whites gradually and then mix in the vanilla and lemon extracts.


3. Add the flour and mix until just well mixed.


4. With a small (1/4-inch) plain tip, pipe 1-inch sections of batter onto a parchment-lined sheet pan, spacing them 2 inches apart as they spread.


5. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges. Let cool on the pan.


6. While waiting for the cookies to cool, in a small saucepan over medium flame, scald cream.
7. Pour hot cream over chocolate in a bowl, whisk to melt chocolate, add zest and blend well.
8. Set aside to cool (the mixture will thicken as it cools).


9. Spread a thin amount of the filling onto the flat side of a cookie while the filling is still soft and press the flat side of a second cookie on top.


10. Repeat with the remainder of the cookies.

20 comments:

Cakelaw said...

Fabulous Milanos - you did a great job.

Redkathy said...

Oh your killing me... These look delicious!

Miranda said...

Ok Ok...I will start trying the challenges. You inspired me!

Diana Bauman said...

Wow, Pizza Cutta!! These are fantastic!!! I hate it when I eat through Milano cookies so quickly!

Lisa said...

I love the almonds scattered on top, and your step by step photos are lovely! Gorgeous job and delicious looking!

Sara said...

Mmmm, these look awesome! Love the almonds. :)

Karen | Citrus and Candy said...

These look great! Love the almond version!

Mathilde said...

reminds me of French cookies called Langue De Chat that we use to top with some Nutella! Delicious

Unknown said...

Ooohhh - these look awesome. Great job!

Kristin King said...

My husband says he loves you :) It's his favorite cookie of all time..guess I'll have to make these real soon! They look so good!

Unknown said...

I love Milanos, I am gonna have to try these!

Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction said...

Your Milano cookies look wonderful! I made both but I think the Milanos were the better recipe of the two.

Laura said...

Those look delicious, great pictures.

Elin Chia said...

Congrats, you are Today's Top 9 . Great job! :)

Divina Pe said...

Thanks for posting a recipe and your step by step photos. :)

Confession Nook said...

these are are heavenly...=)

foodnfit said...

OMG can I please have one of those right now?? :) They look delicious!

Sweet Kitchen said...

I have no idea how you got these to look so good - mine were all different sizes and shapes. Fantastic!

The Duo Dishes said...

Ditto on the cookies. Better than buying from the store, that's for sure.

Tangled Noodle said...

Yes! Milanos are my favorite but it may be dangerous knowing how to make them at home!

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