Joanne Chang's Homemade Oreo Cookies

With all of the tragic news from Boston over the last couple of weeks, I thought of all of the wonderful things to do and see in the Boston area.  With that inspiration, I decided to share a recipe that was created by Joanne Chang, owner of at Boston's Flour Bakery & Café.

I love Flour Bakery's version of the Oreo cookie, as the crispy cookies have a wonderful chocolate flavor, and the vanilla butter cream filling is absolutely perfect. These cookies are both much better than the Nabisco cookie, and full enough in flavor to cater to an adult pallet.


When in Boston, visit one of her bakeries:  http://flourbakery.com


Ms. Chang's cookbook is one of my favorites, and is available on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Flour-Spectacular-Recipes-Bostons-Bakery/dp/081186944X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367377412&sr=1-1&keywords=flour+bakery+cookbook

Joanne Chang's Homemade Oreo Cookies

Skill level: 

Makes 16

To make Joanne Chang’s Oreos, allow 1 hour for the dough to firm before shaping, then several more hours for it to chill before slicing. You can refrigerate the dough for up to 1 week or freeze it for 1 month (defrost in the refrigerator). The log may settle as it chills, so reroll it every 15 minutes if you’re around during the initial chilling so the log stays round. The filling will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Let it come to room temperature before using.

COOKIES

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted

1 egg

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the butter and the sugar until combined. Whisk in the vanilla and melted chocolate. Add the egg and stir until well blended.
2. In another bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir to blend them. Using a wooden spoon, stir the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture. The finished dough should feel like Play-Doh. 

3. Cover the dough with plastic, and set aside for 1 hour or until firm.
4. Place the dough on a long sheet of parchment paper. Use your hands to shape it into a rough log, about 10 inches long and 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Place the log at the edge of the parchment. Roll the parchment around the log. With your hands on the paper, roll the dough into a tighter log, keeping the diameter the same. Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or until it is firm enough to slice without crumbling.
   
5. Set the oven at 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
6. Remove the dough from the paper. Cut the log into 32 slices, each a quarter-inch. Set them on the baking sheets 1 inch apart.
   
   
7. Bake the cookies for 20 to 25 minutes, checking them often after 15 minutes, or until they are firm when touched in the center.
8. Cool completely on the sheets.

FILLING

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1 tablespoon milk

Pinch salt

Preparation

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter on low speed for half a minute. Add the vanilla and confectioners sugar and beat until smooth.
2. Beat in the milk and salt. The filling will look and feel like spackle.
3. Place 1 tablespoon of filling on the flat side of 16 cookies. Press the remaining 16 cookies on the filling, flat sides against the cream, to evenly distribute the filling.
4. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. 

Adapted from Flour Bakery + Cafe

Cinnamon Palmiers

Skill level: 

These are not difficult to make, the repeated refrigeration cycles create a long prep time.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, frozen

5 to 6 tablespoons ice water

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preparation

1. Stir together flour and salt in a chilled large metal bowl. Slice frozen butter into flour, gently tossing to coat butter.

2. Place butter and flour mixture in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
3. Remove flour and butter mixture from the refrigerator, and using a pastry blender, break the butter into large chunks.

4. Drizzle 5 tablespoons ice water evenly over flour mixture and gently stir with a fork until incorporated. Test mixture by gently squeezing a small handful: When dough has the proper texture, it will hold together without crumbling apart. If necessary, add another tablespoon water, stirring until just incorporated, and test again. (Do not overwork dough or add too much water, or pastry will be tough; dough will be lumpy and streaky.)  Note: I usually just work the bough with my hands, it is easier.

5. Form dough into a 5-inch square, then chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 30 minutes.

6. Roll out dough on a floured surface with a floured rolling pin into a 15 by 8  inch rectangle (with a short side nearest you). Brush off excess flour and fold dough into thirds like a letter. Rewrap dough and chill until firm, at least 30 minutes.

7. Arrange dough with a short side nearest you on a floured surface and repeat rolling out, folding, and chilling 2 more times. Brush off any excess flour, then halve dough crosswise with a sharp knife and chill, wrapped separately in plastic wrap, at least 1 hour.
8. Stir together sugar and cinnamon, then generously sprinkle a clean work surface with some of cinnamon sugar and place 1 piece of chilled dough on top.

9. Quickly roll out into a 16 by 12-inch rectangle (1/8 to 1/16 inch thick; if dough becomes too soft, chill on a baking sheet until firm). Trim edges with a sharp knife. Sprinkle top of dough evenly with some cinnamon sugar to cover completely, brushing off any excess. 

10. Fold 2 opposite long sides of pastry so they meet in center. Fold in same sides of pastry in same manner, then fold one half over the other (like a book) and press gently with a rolling pin to flatten slightly, forming a long rectangular log. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon sugar if dough is sticky.

11. Chill on a baking sheet, uncovered, until firm, at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. Meanwhile, repeat with remaining piece of dough and cinnamon sugar.
12. Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
13. Cut 1 log of dough crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices with a sharp knife and arrange slices, cut sides down, 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheet. 

14. Bake until puffed and golden around edges, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from oven and turn palmiers over with a spatula. (If palmiers begin to unroll, gently press to reshape when cooled slightly.) Continue baking until golden all over and sugar is caramelized, 3 to 5 minutes more. 
15. Transfer as done (palmiers may not bake evenly) to a rack and cool. Make more cookies on cooled baking sheet lined with fresh parchment.

Butter Spritz Cookies

Butter Spritz Cookies

Skill level: 

Prep Time:  15 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Serves: approximately 2 to 4 dozen, depending on cookie press used

Ingredients

1 cup confectioners' sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 cups sifted flour

Optional:       Sprinkles or colored sugar for garnish

                       food coloring

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a mixer with a paddle attachment, add the sugar and the butter. Mix until light and fluffy. 

3. Add the egg, vanilla and almond extracts and mix to incorporate. 
4. Sift together the baking powder and the flour. Add the flour mixture. Mix until combined. 

5. Optional:  Add food coloring.

6. Using a cookie press, press cookies onto ungreased cookie sheets. 

7. Optional:  Top with the sprinkles of your choice. 



Decorating ideas. 
Photo credit: http://www.southernplate.com/2012/12/spritz-cookies.html



8. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes, or until firm, but not yet browning.
9. Remove from baking sheet, and allow to cool completely

Spritz cookie, dipped in chocolate ganache and crushed pistachios.