Ria's Collection: ~It's cookie time at the Daring Bakers ~Milano Cookies ~ My 4th DB challenge

Sunday, July 26, 2009

~It's cookie time at the Daring Bakers ~Milano Cookies ~ My 4th DB challenge

Milano cookies were something I have always loved...we use to get a share when my aunt visited us from Muscat. I don't remeber the brand but it used to come in white paper packets and they tasted real good. So the minute I knew this was our challenge for the month + a Mallow cookie...I was really excited. Wanted to give the mallow cookie a try BUT somehow that 'want' just din't materialise. So I gave in for the Milano cookie.

The recipe given on the DB forum had lots of egg whites and so I followed the Isa Chandra's Vegan version posted in one of the forums by
Singing Horse.

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


Vegan Milanos

Recipe by Isa Chandra

1/3 cup rice milk (or soy, whatever you got)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Scant 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped (or use chocolate chips)

  • Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease 2 large cookie sheets.
  • In a large mixing bowl, use a strong fork to mix together milk, sugar, oil, vanilla and zest.
  • Add half of the flour, along with the cornstarch, baking powder and salt; mix well. Add the remaining flour and mix until you have a soft, pliable dough.
  • Make sure your hands are very clean and dry, and dust them with flour. Stuffs about to get messy. Sort of.
  • Grab about 1 tablespoon’s worth of dough and roll it into a ball, and then roll into a log that’s about 1 1/2 inches long. Flatten with the palms of your hand to create an oval that is 2 inches long and 1 inch across, then straighten the edges out with your fingers. Basically, if you know what a milano looks like, that’s the shape your going for. But this is homemade, so don’t try to be perfect. You aren’t a machine (or are you?)
  • Continue with the rest of the dough, flouring your hands before you form each cookie, until you have 16 cookies placed about 1 inch apart (they don’t spread much.) I had to do this in 2 batches because of my small oven, so while these baked I started my next batch of 16. If you’ve got a big oven then do both trays of 16 at once.
  • Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, until tops are firm and edges are ever so slightly browned. Remove from oven and let rest for 2 minutes. Use a thin, flexible spatula to transfer to a cooling rack. Meanwhile, bake your next batch and melt your chocolate*.
  • Once cookies are cool enough to handle (only about 10 minutes), take a cookie and dip the bottom into the chocolate. Then take another cookie and dip it, and place the dipped sides together to form a sandwich. Don’t press them hard lest the chocolate smush out. Place them on a tray or several plates that will fit in your fridge. Continue with the remaining cookies until you have 16 sandwiches. Have a wet rag at the ready to wipe your fingers between putting the cookies together, to avoid chocolate fingerprints on the cookies. Or just lick the chocolate off. Or just decide that who cares about chocolate fingerprints.
  • Place cookies in the fridge to set for at least an hour. Bring back to room temperature before serving (about 1/2 an hour.)

The dough was easy to work with and it shaped up really well. But , it became very soggy as soon as it came out of the oven...blame the humidity? Not sure. As far the taste is concerned, it was OK and not what I expected it to be. It did taste fine... but not as good as a milano.

23 Comments:

Chef Jeena said...

Wow these look fantastic Ria! I can't believe that it is vegan too yummy.

Nithya said...

It looks amazing.. I just feel like grabbing few from the pic..:) Absolutely tempting photography too. keep it going.

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

Your cookies look beautiful and so delicious! Very well done!

Cheers,

Rosa

Aparna Balasubramanian said...

Guess we both felt the same way about this challenge, but I must say your cookies look a whole lot better than mine initially did, until I rolled and cut them out!

Abhilash Pillai said...

Cookies, I have seen them on TV and from stores in Cochin. I hope it is too difficult to give a try making it. However, it might taste better I know that.

I will try it, may be the output won’t be as the ones that appear in your pictures. I don’t know how good you prepare or how good it taste but the pictures look cool to make a person give a try on it.

I will surely make it and keep on making it till my roommates jerk my head.

My mother says try try but .....

Helene said...

They turned out perfect! Vegan and vegetarian interpretations are always inspiring! Well done!

Deeba PAB said...

Good looking cookies Ria. I did just the mallows coz I've been wanting to try marshmallows from scratch forever!Well done on the Milanos!

Zita said...

Vegan milanos... just want to eat the whole stack :)

Rachel said...

I like that you tried the milanos..looks great and awesome pics.

Unknown said...

Sorry you didn't like these too much! From what I've gathered, the mallow cookies were great! I too, plan on trying them out soon! And if it's any consolation, they certainly look delicious!

Anonymous said...

Your cookies look real tempting Ria...awesome clicks too !!

Yasmeen said...

Awesome!love the vegan variation of milano :D

Nithya said...

Hi Ria,

I have nominated you for the Kreativ blog award. Kindly take it from my blog please. :)

Dharm said...

Nicely done Ria! The milanos look great.

saffronapron.blogspot.com said...

Hey Ria,
Nice looking cookies. I mean , your food never looks bad.Abt the soggy cookies, yes, humidilty is the cause. They say never bake cookies or make chocolate on a humid day.

Sakshi said...

yum...anything with chocolate hidden inside is good for me

Lauren said...

Beautiful job on this challenge =D. Your cookies look amazing - Yum!!

Unknown said...

beautiful pics dear!! I was so tempted after seeing this pic and ended up finishing a packet of goodday biscuits ;)

Nico said...

very nice looking ones!!! congrats!!

Resh said...

lovely site!! the milano's are one of my favorite cookie's as well, and i can NEVER EAT JUST ONE!!!

kellypea said...

These really did turn out lovely! Their puffiness makes me want to take a big bite ; )

isa said...

Looks delicious!
I love your vegan version of the milano.
I'm sorry, that you didn’t love these.

Michelle said...

The Milano Cookies sound so good and I love how you made them into little sandwiches!

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