Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Oreo Cookies - Gluten free


So I spent most of my evening welcoming a new puppy into my parents home. Little miss Daisy – isn’t she adorable?! Well she knows, thanks.


But I did pry myself away from the puppy to make a batch of gluten free oreo cookies adapted from a recipe from gluten free girl.  I’ll warn you – her’s look better than mine.  http://glutenfreegirl.com/gluten-free-oreos/
There are a growing number of people going gluten free, including my family & friends.  While a true wheat allergy is very rare and causes serious illness, it seems gluten aversion is fairly common.  The symptoms are wide & varied so it is often misdiagnosed.  Going gluten free just may clear up your acne, allow you to lose weight or settle that pesky upset stomach. J

Kitchen Notes::
  š  The original recipe claims the dough doesn’t spread – (buzzer sound) wrong. It spreads, so you will be using at least 2, preferably 3 or 4, cookie sheets if you plan to ever be done making cookies this century.  
  š  She also claims the dough makes 25 two-sided oreo cookies – I just made 40 easily including 7 giant whoopee pie size cookies. Lots of dough, no need to double the recipe here.  The filling, now that is a different matter.  If you can resist the assemble method of ‘one scoop for the cookie, one scoop for me’ way to go you – I couldn’t. But I have a weakness for oreo filling I guess.
 
For the cookies:
175 grams King Arthur Gluten free flour mix
2 grams (1/2 teaspoon) xanthan gum
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
140 grams (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

For the creamy filling
:
58 grams (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract


Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.
Mix :: Put the flour in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the xanthan gum, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Turn the mixer on and let everything combine in motion. While the mixer is running on low speed, add large pieces of the butter until they are all incorporated. Add the egg and mix well. (At this point, you might think the dough will be too dry. Trust. Keep mixing. It will come together.)

Bake ::
Scoop a rounded teaspoon of batter (literally. scoop just more than a teaspoon’s worth) and form a ball. The batter is sticky, so I rolled it in a little more sugar.  I’ve never met a cookie that was hurt from a rolling sugar.


Gently, flatten the dough in the palm of your hand. Place the dough disks onto the prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. I tried to be slick here and placed my little dough disks mini muffin tins thinking I could reduce spreading.  





Kinda. Sorta. They spread up instead – making oreo cookie mini muffins. Ok, while not pretty or true oreos, still yummy.

 No bad for my first go at gluten free. Not bad at all.

Monday, March 5, 2012

Debut - Mouthwatering Mondays


Ok- so it’s time I get a little more habitual about my posts. I have been very haphazard about when I blog. Not that I’m known for my organization or strict adherence to a schedule of any kind. But I should be, and I will be more faithful. Ok – enough sappy motivational speaking for one post!! – In an effort to bring consistency, I have created a weekly post. (Que dramatic drums beating)
~ MOUTHWATERING MONDAYS ~
 The Internet is more than just my blog (shocking I know.) And that world is fabulously summed up on the BESTEST little Internet home – Pinterest.com 
If you haven’t discovered pinterest – do so NOW. Stop reading this and go there…now. I’ll wait for you to come back. ~tick tock tick tock…ok well if you’re like me then you’ll get lost in all the amazing blogs for hours on end. I have a link to my page on pinterest to the right-  feel free to follow me. I’d love the company!
Every Monday I will feature a few of my favorite pinterest items of the past week. 
And we will start with these Nutella Meringues. Mmmmmmm, aptly named mouthwatering Monday – I am so inspired by this recipe. Let me know what you think.