malted milk sandwich cookies.

From my current number one favourite cookbook: Baked Explorations! There are just so many tempting recipes I want to make, I need to start slashing them down. Starting right now. Of course, I have already made the coconut snowball cupcakes from Baked, but that hardly made a dent in my list!

The recipe said that the dough was going to be extremely sticky. And they weren't lying. The dough was so soft to work with that even straight out of the freezer, it was still malleable. I considered many ways to  properly shape the dough into rounds besides just rolling and cutting (I gave up on that method anyway when the dough refused to budge from the board, even if it was generously floured). Rolling it up into a log? It became deformed. Weighing and portioning the dough individually before flattening them? Bingo! I pressed the dough into a two inch cutter and got a perfect circle. At least, until my manhandling stretched some of them into ovals.

I think I might have over beaten the eggs and sugar mixture when making the dough. It puffed up ridiculously and there were hideous cracks. And while the recipe said to bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, I actually had to extend the baking time way beyond that because my cookies weren't crisp. Or was it just my oven? Hmm...

Well, these cookies didn't wow me, but the filling was dangerously similar to the popular Oreo. And being homemade, it tasted so much fresher!

Malted Milk Sandwich Cookies
Adapted from Baked Explorations
makes 30 sandwiches

For the cookies
4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup malted milk powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

For the vanilla filling5 ounces vegetable shortening, at room temperature
1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into cubes, at room temperature
3 1/4 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon light rum (optional)

Make the cookie dough

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, malt, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat until just incorporated. Add half of the dry ingredients all at once and beat for 15 seconds. Again, scrape down the bowl, then add the remaining dry ingredients and beat until just incorporated. The mixture should come together almost in a ball. (This didn't happen for me, it stuck together when pressed, but not on its own.)

Loosely shape the dough into two balls, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Divide each dough ball in half, to make four portions. Place on portion on a lightly floured work surface and return the other three portions to the refrigerator.

Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. The dough will be sticky, so you may have to flip and lightly flour it a few times while you work. Use a 2-inch round cookies cutter (or the top of a drinking glass if you're without one, I did) to create the sandwich tops and bottoms, transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch of space around each cookie. Extra dough scraps can be refrigerated and re-rolled, if desired.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until they are slightly browned. (12 minutes for a crispy cookie, 9-10 minutes for a chewy one.) Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cookies cool, make the vanilla filling.

Make the filling

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the shortening and butter until lump-free and smooth. Add the sugar in three parts mixing after each addition. Add the salt, vanilla and rum, if you're using it, and beat for 10 seconds. The filling should be thick but spreadable. You can add a few drops of water here and there if it's too thick.

Using a small spoon or a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, spoon the filling onto the flat side of one cookie. Place another cookie, flat side down, on top and press down slightly so the filling spreads to the edges of the cookie.

I think baking the cookies till they are crisp wins texturally but making them chewier will enhance that malty flavour.