Milan Cookies

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Recipe courtesy Gale Gand from Food Network website
Hostess: Nicole of Sweet Tooth

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 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

Directions

• In a mixer with paddle attachment cream the butter and the sugar.
• Add the egg whites gradually and then mix in the vanilla and lemon extracts.
• Add the flour and mix until just well mixed.
• 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.
• Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges. Let cool on the pan.
• While waiting for the cookies to cool, in a small saucepan over medium flame, scald cream.
• Pour hot cream over chocolate in a bowl, whisk to melt chocolate, add zest and blend well.
• Set aside to cool (the mixture will thicken as it cools).
• 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.
• Repeat with the remainder of the cookies.

Mallows (Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies)

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

Recipe courtesy Gale Gand from Food Network website
Hostess: Nicole of Sweet Tooth

Prep time: 10 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 cups (375grams/13.23oz) all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (112.5grams/3.97oz) white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 12 tablespoons (170grams/ 6 oz) unsalted butter
• 3 eggs, whisked together
• Homemade marshmallows
• Chocolate glaze

Directions

• In a mixer with the paddle attachment, blend the dry ingredients.
• On low speed, add the butter and mix until sandy.
• Add the eggs and mix until combine.
• Form the dough into a disk, wrap with clingfilm or parchment and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
• When ready to bake, grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness, on a lightly floured surface. Use a 1 to 1 1/2 inches cookie cutter to cut out small rounds of dough.
• Transfer to the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cool to room temperature.
• Pipe a "kiss" of marshmallow onto each cookie. Let set at room temperature for 2 hours.
• Line a cookie sheet with parchment or silicon mat.
• One at a time, gently drop the marshmallow-topped cookies into the hot chocolate glaze.
• Lift out with a fork and let excess chocolate drip back into the bowl.
• Place on the prepared pan and let set at room temperature until the coating is firm, about 1 to 2 hours.

Note: If you don't want to make your own marshmallows, you can cut a large marshmallow in half and place on the cookie base. Heat in a preheated 350-degree oven to slump the marshmallow slightly, it will expand and brown a little. Let cool, then proceed with the chocolate dipping.

Homemade Marshmallows

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 3/4 cup (168.76 grams/5.95oz) sugar
• 1 tablespoon powdered gelatin
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 2 egg whites, room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

• In a saucepan, combine the water, corn syrup, and sugar, bring to a boil until "soft-ball" stage, or 235 degrees on a candy thermometer.
• Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let dissolve.
• Remove the syrup from the heat, add the gelatin, and mix.
• Whip the whites until soft peaks form and pour the syrup into the whites.
• Add the vanilla and continue whipping until stiff.
• Transfer to a pastry bag.

Chocolate Glaze

Ingredients

• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 2 ounces cocoa butter or vegetable oil

Directions

• Melt the 2 ingredients together in the top of a double boiler or a bowl set over barely simmering water.