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Susan Kao is an editorial designer. She's taken a few baking classes, tempered by extreme lapses of memory.
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TODAY'S RECIPE
Susan Kao makes homemade oreo-like cookies for the cookie calendar 2023.
Kao, Susan The Star
From 2011, these homemade oreos: larger, chewier wafers mean there’s more cookie to love.
THE COOKIES
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I have the unappealing character trait of being over-ambitious with projects, and thus I started with the intention of sculpting my own Krampus-themed cookie molds in a single evening. However, put off by the exorbitant costs of food-safe silicone, I settled for a sappy store-bought cookie stamp.
The chaos within my soul resists organization, but starting with a mise-en-place really does help smooth the process. When you first start mixing the cookie dough, it’s going to look like you’re just uselessly stirring a bowl of powder, but after a minute it starts coming together as a dough. Give the bowl a little scrape mid-way to make sure everything is evenly incorporated.
Caught up in my stamping zeal, I overlooked the instruction of rolling out teaspoon sized dough balls and ended up with near saucer-sized cookies, which was okay since the cookies puffed up such that the stamp was rendered useless. Alas.
With my last batch of dough, I meekly patted out teaspoon sized dough balls. I didn’t have lofty aspirations for the icing, so the rest of the cookie was without incident.
Family and coworkers enjoyed the cookies, despite their mostly mammoth measurements and illegible stamping, noting that the cream was softer than the regular Oreo. I also thought the crunchy texture was better than the usual dry crumbliness.
Overall – pretty tasty, enjoy with some coffee!
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Susan Kao makes homemade oreo-like cookies for the cookie calendar 2023.
Kao, Susan The Star
THE SCORE
4.5 out of 5
A little sweet but fairly easy and delicious!
THE RECIPE
Homemade oreos
Cookies:
1-1/4 cups (310 mL) all-purpose flour
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1/2 cup (125 mL) unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda
1/4 tsp (1 mL) each: baking powder, table salt
1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp (155 mL) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
Cream Filling:
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1/4 cup (60 mL) each: unsalted butter, vegetable shortening (both at room temperature)
2 cups (500 mL) sifted icing sugar
2 tsp (10 mL) pure vanilla extract
For cookies, in medium bowl, use electric mixer on low speed to mix flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt and sugar until thoroughly blended. Add butter and egg. Mix until dough comes together in a mass, about 4 minutes.
Place rounded teaspoons of chilled dough on parchment-lined baking sheets about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Refrigerate 15 to 20 minutes. Moisten hands and flatten dough slightly, evening out any ridges on top and sides.
Bake in batches in upper and lower racks of preheated 375F (190C) oven 10 minutes, rotating once halfway. Cookies will look moist but will set while cooling. Cool 5 minutes, then transfer to rack to cool completely. (Makes 24 to 30.)
For Cream Filling, in bowl using electric mixer on low speed, beat butter and shortening 3 minutes. Gradually beat in sugar and vanilla. Turn mixer to high; beat until fluffy and lighter in colour, about 2 to 3 minutes.
To assemble, pair each cookie with another of similar size. Turn one of each pair upside down, so flat side faces up.
Place generous tablespoon of Cream Filling onto flat side of each cookie, or in three smaller blobs in a triangle, using a spoon or pastry bag with small round tip. Top with second cookie. Press lightly in centre to distribute cream evenly to edges. Store in airtight container.
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