Vanilla Wafer Cookies

     
           So there I was trying to think about what to cook today.  I knew I wanted to bake something since we haven't had cookies in the house for a week.  I made graham crackers 2 weeks ago and the remnants of crumbs was all that remained in my cookie container.  Surprisingly there has been no whining about how we didn't have any cookies.  So since there was no complaining yet, I figured I would beat any potential griping to the punch. 

            There I was checking my emails when I received an email from a certain food manufacturer.  They happen to produce an all American favorite for those Banana Pudding Cakes.  Yes, I am speaking of Vanilla Wafers.

             When they were permitted in our house prior to the war on processed food and anything with high fructose corn syrup, they were gobbled up.  What was not to like?  A vanilla flavored cookie that seemed so light, there was no way you could gain weight eating one of them. 



              Yes, I was going to bring back the vanilla wafer cookie in my house, made without shortening, or high fructose corn syrup, or preservatives.

Ingredients  (adapted from Alton Brown's recipe)

1. 1 stick (1/2 Cup of butter) room temperature
2. 3 1/2 oz. sugar (I weighed this on my kitchen scale)
3. 7 oz all purpose flour (Again, weighed on my kitchen scale)
4. 3/4 tsp baking powder
5. 1/2 tsp salt
6. 1 egg
7. 2 Tbl pure vanilla extract
8. 1 Tbl whole milk

First, cream the butter with the sugar so a nice paste forms.

In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  I used my kitchen scale to measure the ingredients in ounces.

Add the flour mixture slowly to the butter and sugar while beating.

Once all the flour has been added, add your egg, vanilla, and butter.  Beat the mixture until all is combined and you have a uniform dough.

Take the dough and place it in the refrigerator.  This will allow for easier cookie shaping.  Let it cool for about 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350F.

Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet.

With a tsp measuring spoon, or a small cookie scoop, make round little dough balls and place them on the cookie sheet.  With the palm of your hand flatten the balls to form little circles.  The cookies should be about 2 inches apart.  These don't spread too much.

Once a cookie sheet is filled, place it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.  Then place in the oven.  It took 11 minutes for my cookies to complete baking.

These were delicious straight with milk.  The outside is slightly crunchy, and the inside is almost cake like.

Of course I couldn't stop there.  I had to sandwich chocolate icing between the cookies.

I combined 1 Cup of chocolate chips with 2 Tbl of butter, and 1/4 cup of cream.

First melt the butter in a saucepan on medium heat.  Then add your chocolate chips.  Stir until all the chips are melted.  Then add the cream and stir until all is combined.

I then placed the chocolate in the fridge to set up.  You want the consistency to be like a spreadable butter, so that it doesn't drip everywhere.  Spread some of the chocolate spread on one cookie, and then sandwich with another.

 If you make a bunch of the sandwich cookies, you will want to refrigerate them since there is butter in the cream.  Of course there will probably be no need because they will be gone in a flash!