Sunday, March 27, 2011

Homemade Oreos


I have recently gotten into homemade everything. I have been surprised how often these delicious goodies have turned out to be better than the original. Some of them definitely would make it into my bakery. For my next few posts, I will be showcasing these homemade versions.
  Now whether this homemade version is better than the original it depends on your opinion of the original. Personally, I am not a huge fan of oreos. I find the icing kind of gross--too sweet for me I guess. I also find it somewhat unnerving that the cream is that thick. I haven't found any cream I have made from scratch that solid, so it makes me think that whatever I am eating isn't natural. (That may be a little too much of whole foods mentality coming out. Sorry if I overthough one of your favorite cookies.) So, for me this homemade version is much better because the icing is better.
  I have made homemade oreos before using cake mixes, but I think those are called homemade oreo because they are a chocolate sandwich cookie but not really more like the cookies. This recipe tastes a lot more like the store-bought version. The cookie tastes almost exactly the same, but it is thicker. It has the same crunch. The icing is a nice thick (but not too thick) icing. 
Bakery worthy? No, they are a delicious homemade treat, but they are not worthy of being in my bakery. They aren't tasty enough to ask money for, but they are good enough to bring to friends and feed to family with plenty of compliments returned. Enjoy!

The recipe came from http://marcussamuelsson.com/recipes/homemade-oreos who got the recipe from the Flour Bakery Cookbook by Joanne Chang



Cookies:

1 cup (2 sticks/228 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (200 grams) semisweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled slightly
1 egg
1 ½ cups (210 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ cup (90 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon baking soda

Vanilla Cream Filling:

½ cup (1 stick/114 grams) unsalted butter, softened
1 ⅔ cups (230 grams) confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk
Pinch of kosher salt


1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the butter and granulated sugar until well combined. Whisk in the vanilla and chocolate. Add the egg and whisk until thoroughly incorporated.


2. In another medium bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda until well mixed. Using a wooden spoon, stir the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture. The dough will start to seem too floury, and you will find it easiest to switch to mixing it with your hands until it comes together. It will have the consistency of Play-Doh. Let the dough sit at room temperature for about 1 hour to firm up.

3. Transfer the dough to a 15-inch square sheet of parchment or waxed paper. Using your hands, shape the dough into a rough log about 10 inches long and 2 ½ inches in diameter. Place the log at the edge of the sheet of parchment paper, and roll the parchment around the log. With the log fully encased in parchment, roll it into a smoother log, keeping it at 2 ½ inches in diameter. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until firm. The log may settle and sink a bit in the fridge, so reroll it every 15 minutes or so to maintain a nice round log. (At this point, the dough log can be well wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month. If the dough is frozen, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before proceeding.)

4. Position a rack in the center of the oven, and heat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.

5. Cut the dough log into ¼-inch-thick slices. Place the slices about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.

6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cookies are firm to the touch. Check them frequentl after to 16 to 17 minutes, poking them in the middle. As soon as they feel firm to the touch, remove them from the oven. You can’t judge by color because they start out black. Let cool on the baking sheet to warm or room temperature. They don’t have to cool completely before you fill them, but you can’t fill them while they are hot.

7. To make the filling: While the cookies are cooling, using stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a handheld mixer,) beat the butter on low speed for about 30 seconds, or until completely smooth and soft. Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla and beat until the mixture is perfectly smooth. Add the milk and salt and again beat until smooth. It will look like white spackle and feel about the same–like putty. You can also mix this filling by hand. Make sure the butter is very soft, and use your hands to mix and knead the sugar into the butter. You should have about 1 cup. (The filling can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Bring to room temperature before using.)

8. Scoop about 1 rounded tablespoon of the filling onto the bottom of one cookie. Top with a second cookie, bottom-side down, then press the cookies together to spread the filling toward the edges. Repeat until all the cookies are filled.

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