Daring Bakers- 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.

I am so pleased I found the time to make these cookies.  It is a couple of days past the posting date- life has been very busy, but it is settling down to a dull roar now.

I made the cookie dough in the food processor (so I didn’t have to wash it before making the marshmallow)  That worked a treat.  I also didn’t roll out my dough for slicing, rather just cut it from the log.  Not as perfectly round but the heat here makes butter based doughs a mess in moments.

I don’t recall making marshmallows before.  I have made all sorts of egg whites and sugar syrup concoctions but I don’t think I ever got around to putting some gelatine in.  Anyway they were a snap and I was pleasantly surprised at how easily they piped.  Without going all infomercial on you, can I just say, Tupperwares new piping tool (dishwasher safe) is really rather lovely to use in these kind of applications.

After I tried one marshmallow I couldn’t help myself- these had to take on a smore’s feel.

And then because of the whole point of chocolate covered- I went a healthy dollop of chocolate hazelnut spread.  Yum!

TWD- Vanilla Ice Cream

For this weeks TWD Lynne of Cafe LynnyLu decided on Vanilla Ice Cream on pages 428 and 429.  And what a good choice it was.  Not just because I had 3 cups of egg yolks needing some love (but that certainly helped!)

This is my favorite kind of ice cream.  Custard based, chilled and then popped in the ice cream maker.

I happened to have some choux buns left over from the 500 or so I made for the wedding last weekend so I enjoyed the treat of splitting one, then filling with the ice cream and drizzling with some chocolate sauce

I loved this.  Good to be back in TWD groove.  I am running late for the Daring Bakers but am hoping to make good in the next couple of days.  Anyway, enough of my time management woes! Go and check out the TWD blogroll for some icy treats.

Slack as

Sorry guys. I have fallen well behind in my weekly baking commitments. I made the wedding cake for 200 and 20 croque em bouches for a wedding over the weekend and just haven’t had time in the kitchen for anything else. I will be catching up on all the recipes very soon!
Until then please check out the TWD blogroll and see the raspberry blanc manger

TWD- Tribute to Katherine Hepburn Brownies

For this weeks TWD group bake hug,  Lisa of Surviving Oz chose Tribute to Katherine Hepburn Brownies on pages 96 and 97 of Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan.

These are almost fondant cake like in texture- just the thing if you are almost out of flour but have chocolate and nuts to burn.  I made mine individual size- because I love the crispy edges best and these have that lovely crispy paper thin top and oodles of chopped chocolate and nuts inside.

I love brownies, not a huge amount of effort for curl up your toes goodness.  Time to go check out the TWD blogroll and see what other folks thought of this weeks recipe.