It's cookie time - July Daring Bakers Challenge

This was a true fun challenge, when you get to play with your food, if you have children , this will be a nice project to do with them... what can be better than digging your fingers in chocolates,
and licking them one by one...... of course the Mallow Cookies...

The July Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Nicole at Sweet Tooth. She chose Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies and Milan Cookies from pastry chef Gale Gand of the Food Network.

Mallows(Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies)

Prep Time: 10 min
Inactive Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Serves: about 2 dozen cookies

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, recipe follows
• Chocolate glaze, recipe follows

1. In a mixer with the paddle attachment, blend the dry ingredients.
2. On low speed, add the butter and mix until sandy.
3. Add the eggs and mix until combine.
4. Form the dough into a disk, wrap with clingfilm or parchment and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
5. When ready to bake, grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
7. 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.
8. Transfer to the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cool to room temperature.
9. Pipe a “kiss” of marshmallow onto each cookie. Let set at room temperature for 2 hours.
10. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or silicon mat.
11. One at a time, gently drop the marshmallow-topped cookies into the hot chocolate glaze.
12. Lift out with a fork and let excess chocolate drip back into the bowl.
13. 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:
• 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
1. 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.
2. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let dissolve.
3. Remove the syrup from the heat, add the gelatin, and mix.
4. Whip the whites until soft peaks form and pour the syrup into the whites.
5. Add the vanilla and continue whipping until stiff.
6. Transfer to a pastry bag.

Chocolate glaze:
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate
2 ounces cocoa butter or vegetable oil
1. Melt the 2 ingredients together in the top of a double boiler or a bowl set over barely simmering water. Milan Cookies Recipe courtesy Gale Gand, from Food Network website

I doubled the recipe as I wanted to experiment with different flavours...
My husband told me that he used to eat them stuffed with strawberry jam...
To be honest with you, I never tasted these cookies before and its was all new flavours to me..

1- For the first flavour I used peanut butter with chopped roasted caramel peanuts, mixed together , then covered the top of the cookies... then I added the marshmallows, which was very tricky to use when it was warm, it melted the peanut butter and both started to drip , I had to redo couple of cookies.... after the stuffing cooled completely I dipped them in dark and semi sweet chocolate then topped them with Roasted Peanuts.

2 - the second flavour I made chocolate ganache and added some mint liqueur to it to get the chocolate mint flavour, I wanted to add the mint to the marshmallow but I wasn't sure if it will be easy , so I choose to use it in the chocolate instead... after the chocolate set in the freezer for a while, I added the marshmallows and let it cool before dipping them in semi sweet and milk chocolates....

3- I still have another batch of cookies in the freezer, I want to try the Dulce DE Leche flavour with the marshmallow , and maybe some with strawberry jam...
I am running out of time and my husband is waiting for me to clean the chocolate bowl (upppppssssss) I cannot keep him waiting all night....

Sorry I cannot show you the inside.. the chocolate is still warm ..................but we couldn't wait any longer, its 11.00 pm, but we had to try one and another and another before the chocolate set...who cares if its messy.........

its good and its fun, and I wish I have more time to play with my food......but I do two farmer's markets and I take private orders.... I will try to prepare the other batch soon and share with you ...Promise.