Thomas Keller Oreos

I have seen these Thomas Keller Oreos popping up on various blogs for some time now and have been meaning to give them a try myself as so many bloggers were raving about them. Since I love traditional Oreos, I figured I couldn't go wrong with Thomas Keller's gourmet version.

I would describe these as the sophisticated older sister of the traditional Oreo. Two deep, dark chocolate cookies are sandwiched between a thick layer of white chocolate ganache. The cookies themselves have a crumbly, sandy texture and a hefty dose of salt for a contrast to the sweetness of the ganache filling. Using a fluted cookie cutter gave these cookies just the right about of cuteness and charm.

While I shamelessly love the shortening based filling of the traditional Oreo, the white chocolate ganache filling for the TKOs was divine! These were just a wee bit too salty for my personal preference and I think in the future I'd reduce the salt in the cookies down to 1 teaspoon. If you're a big fan of the contrast a hefty dose of salt can provide, I'd recommend making the cookies as written.

Thomas Keller Oreos
adapted from Piece of Cake
makes about 24 sandwich cookies, depending on the size

1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
15 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3/4" cubes, at room temperature
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 ounces white chocolate, chopped (I used chips instead of bar chocolate, it worked fine)

For the filling: In a small pan or microwave-safe bowl, bring the cream to a boil on the stove or in the microwave. Remove from heat and add the chocolate. Let stand for 1 minute, then whisk to melt the chocolate until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl, and let stand for 6 hours to thicken up (you can also chill it in the refrigerator, stirring often, to speed things up significantly).

For the cookies: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt, and mix on low speed. With the mixer running, add the butter, a piece at a time. The mixture will be dry and sandy at first, but over 2 minutes, will form pebble-size pieces that start to cling together--be patient, it will eventually come together. Transfer the dough to a work surface.

Divide the dough in half. Roll each half between two large pieces of parchment paper to 1/8 inch thick. Stack the rolled sheets of dough onto a baking sheet (to keep them flat) and chill until firm, at least 15 minutes.

When you're ready to bake, position a rack to the center of the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats. Working with one sheet of chilled dough at a time, use a round 2 to 2 1/2-inch cutter* to cut the dough into rounds (scraps can be gathered and rolled out again). Place the rounds about 1/2 an inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, rotating halfway through baking. Remove and cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to a cooling rack. Cool completely.

To assemble the cookies: Lightly whip the white chocolate cream to smooth it and fluff it up. Transfer filling to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4" plain tip (I just snipped the tip off the pastry bag). Pipe about 1 1/2 tsp in the center of half the cookies. Top with another cookie to sandwich. Gently press down until the cream comes to the edges. Refrigerate to for a few minutes to firm up the filling.

Cookies can be stored in a covered container for up to 3 days (I recommend refrigerating to keep the filling from getting too soft).

*I used a 1 3/4-inch round fluted cookie cutter and got about 30 sandwich cookies from the recipe.

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes v2.0

I recently purchased a copy of Martha Stewart's Cupcakes and have baked a few of the recipes (including the Orange-Vanilla Bean Cupcakes and these Snickerdoodle Cupcakes) since. I already had a go-to Snickerdoodle Cupcake recipe when I first saw the recipe for these cupcakes popping up around the blogosphere, but was curious to try them nonetheless. I made the cupcakes as the recipe suggested, topping them with clouds of Seven-Minute Frosting and sprinkling them with a bit of cinnamon sugar.

I was curious to see how they compared to my other Snickerdoodle Cupcake recipe. I really enjoyed the lightness of the cupcakes itself but oddly found the cinnamon flavor to be lacking, despite using a whole tablespoon of delicious King Arthur Flour Vietnamese Cinnamon in the batter. I think this could be contributed to the fact that my other recipe also includes a hefty dose of cinnamon in it's cream cheese frosting. The seven-minute frosting is really where these cupcakes failed in comparison to my favorites. While the airiness of the seven-minute frosting was refreshing, it lacked flavor and the cupcakes could have really used the extra hint of cinnamon. I'm also a huge fan of cream cheese frostings and I think the tangy flavor pairs well with the punch of cinnamon.

All said, I'd definitely make these cupcakes again in the future, but I'd frost them with the cinnamon cream cheese frosting instead of the seven-minute frosting suggested by Martha.

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes
from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes
makes about 28 cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self- rising), sifted

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, plus 1/2 teaspoon for dusting

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 3/4 cups sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups milk

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Snickerdoodle Cupcakes - Martha Stewart Recipes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self- rising), sifted

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, plus 1/2 teaspoon for dusting

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 3/4 cups sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups milk

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Snickerdoodle Cupcakes - Martha Stewart Recipes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, plus 1/2 teaspoon for dusting
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/4 cups whole milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together both flours, baking powder, salt, and 1 tablespoon cinnamon.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of milk, and beating until combined after each.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes.
To finish, combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 2 tablespoons sugar. Using a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip, pipe frosting on each cupcake: Hold bag over cupcake with tip just above top, and squeeze to create a dome of frosting, then release pressure and pull up to form a peak. Using a small, fine sieve, dust peaks with cinnamon-sugar. Cupcakes are best eaten the day they are frosted; keep at room temperature until ready to serve.


Seven-Minute Frosting
from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

NOTE: This recipe makes a ton of frosting. Unless you plan to make a double batch of cupcakes or would like extra, I suggest reducing the recipe to half.

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2/3 cups water
2 tablespoon light corn syrup
6 large egg whites, room temperature

Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar with the water and corn syrup in a small saucepan; clip a candy thermometer to side of pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Continue boiling, without stirring, until syrup reaches 230 degrees.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk egg whites on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. With mixer running, add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, beating to combine.

As soon as sugar syrup reaches 230 degrees, remove from heat. With mixer on medium-low speed, pour syrup down side of bowl in a slow, steady stream. Raise speed to medium-high; whisk until mixture is completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl) and stiff (but not dry) peaks form, about 7 minutes. Use immediately.

*I used the Ateco 809 large round tip to frost these cupcakes.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self- rising), sifted

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, plus 1/2 teaspoon for dusting

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 3/4 cups sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups milk

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Snickerdoodle Cupcakes - Martha Stewart Recipes

Chocolate Malt Cupcakes

I can't believe it's been months since I last updated! Life has gotten the best of me lately with getting settled into our new home, finding and starting a new job, and planning and preparing for the holidays. Life has been full of numerous blessings and they're keeping me busy. With homeowner duties and a new job fighting for my time, I haven't been baking as much as I used to. With the holidays in full swing I've set my mind to baking at least one new treat each week. The hubby and I have friends over every Sunday night to watch Dexter and The Walking Dead and I've been baking various treats for our guests. Last week I made Gingerbread Cupcakes. Yesterday I made Ham and Smoked Cheddar Thumbprints and these Chocolate Malt Cupcakes, both of which I thought were delicious.

I really loved the flavor and texture of the cupcakes and found they baked up beautifully! I'm curious to try adapting the recipe, removing the malt powder, for a plain chocolate cupcake. The buttercream was light, not overly sweet, and was dream to pipe. Decorated with a single malted milk ball and a paper straw, I thought these were darling to look at.

The recipe and my decorating inspiration came from The Culinary Chronicles. When I saw these cupcakes, I knew I had to make them myself!

Chocolate Malt Cupcakes
adapted from The Culinary Chronicles
makes approximately 30 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup unsweetened dutch-process cocoa powder
½ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
1½ cups malted milk powder
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the buttercream:
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup vegetable shortening, at room temperature
½ cup malted milk powder
4 tablespoons unsweetened dutch-process cocoa powder
5 cups confectioner sugar, sifted

Chocolate Covered Malt Balls and Straws to garnish (Optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour, cocoa, both sugars, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk together milk and malted milk powder until powder is dissolved.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat flour mixture, milk mixture and oil until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add sour cream and vanilla, and beat just until combined.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each halfway. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 18-20 minutes.

While cupcakes are cooling, prepare frosting. In a large mixer bowl, whip the butter and shorting for several minutes until very light and fluffy. Sprinkle in malted milk powder and cocoa powder. Whip for 1 minute. Slowly add the powdered sugar a few spoonful at a time, letting it incorporate until the frosting becomes thick and stiff.

Fill bag with the frosting and pipe* large swirls on top of cupcakes. Top with candies and straw garnish. Enjoy!

*I used the Ateco 829 large star tip to frost these cupcakes.