Muse back!
February 14, 2008 / Thursday
Happy Valentine's Day
A couple weeks ago, I was wandering around the supermarket (it's a hobby of mine) and I came across a bunch of heart shaped cookie cutters. "How cute," I thought, "I'll buy one!" After all, Valentine's Day was coming up, so I'd have an excuse to use it.
Next, it was time to pick a cookie recipe. Shortbread sounded tasty, but I wanted something red, and I didn't want to decorate the cookies. (Cookie decorations often ruin the taste for me.) What to do? Ooh, red velvet! Except that it's a cake, not a cookie. I scoured the internet for a red velvet cookie recipe, and found the same one over and over again: Duncan Hines red velvet cake mix, two eggs, 1/3 cup of oil. Boo.
I also came across this one (I bake lots of tasty stuff from this blog; it's worth checking out if you like to bake too), which looked tasty, but I wasn't sure whether the batter would be firm enough for a cookie cutter.
I decided to pair the cake mix cookie with the sandwich cookie filling. Off to the store I went. Guess what I discovered? We don't carry red velvet cake mix here in the Bay Area. Duh.
So I improvised. I bought white cake mix and added cocoa powder and a ton of red food coloring. I also substituted some of the oil with buttermilk. I was totally scared that I'd dye my kitchen red, but I actually managed to complete baking without disaster. I modified flour ratio and baking time as I went, and managed to achieve a batch of cuttable pre-bake but soft-enough-for-a-sandwich post-bake cookies.
Next, the filling. I chose the Baking Bites filling because it contained mascarpone ("mahscapone", as I say it), which I'd never used or tasted before. I guess I just wanted an excuse to try it. Now, having tried it, I have this to say: It's rich. In more ways than one.
Okay, I've blathered long enough. Here is the grand reveal:
Next, heart shaped shortbread!
February 14, 2008 10:38 AM | Food
Comments
YUM! Intarwebs some over here, hey?
Posted by: Jennie at February 14, 2008 12:47 PM
Those look delicious. I'll be right over. ;)
Good job on the modifying of recipes, etc. to come up with such an incredible result. That looks like it's ready for a magazine shoot.
Posted by: Snarfdog at February 14, 2008 05:36 PM
them's some of the tastiest looking cookies i seen in a long time. nice work!
Posted by: heather at February 14, 2008 09:32 PM
Oh, sure, that's looks nice and all, but really, where's the bacon?
Posted by: Chris Weiss at February 15, 2008 11:40 AM
It's tucked inside the filling. ;)
Posted by: Viv at February 15, 2008 02:56 PM