Oozy Dulce de Leche Sandwich Cookies

Holy crap.

Okay, so not only was The 4th Annual Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap sign up date announced yesterday, but I have one mother of a cookie recipe for you today. Dulce de Leche Sandwich Cookies. In fact, we should hereby proclaim this Saturday, #CookieSaturday.

Now you all know I don’t bake… Much. But when I do, it usually involves a butt load of fresh seasonal fruit or some kind of oozy caramel concoction. Because fruit makes the processed white flour and sugar okay (somehow, I’m sure) and caramel makes life okay. And by okay, I mean ridiculously, orgasmically decadent.

And isn’t that just what life should be all about?

Do you think you can you ever have too much caramel? I’m positive the Diabetes Association would say so. And dentists everywhere. And sure, I’ve definitely made my own Boozy Dulce De Leche (obviously) and stolen Cinnamon Sugar Cookies with Caramel Drizzle and Sea Salt from this chick, AND even broadcasted about my burnt sugar obsession on my podcast, but even after all that, I still haven’t had my fill. Which is why I was so stoked when Gibbs-Smith sent me a copy of Carole Bloom‘s most recent cookbook, Caramel.

…Just try to convince me that cover doesn’t make you have some kind of wanton, physical reaction. I dare you.

The recipes in this cookbook were easy enough to follow, the directions laid out nicely step by step. For such detail, I only wish there was an estimated time for each recipe. I throw a lot of dinner parties and planning a menu – and executing that menu with expert precision – quite often comes down to timing. I realize Carole might not have been writing for the time-minded individual but even I (someone who hand-makes pasta and Italian bolognese from scratch) am cognizant of the time-sensitivity contingent. Not every day is homemade pasta and scratch Italian bolognese day, just like not every day is caramel day. But damn, when it is, I’d like to have an approximation of how many minutes, hours or days my recipe will take.

So let’s get back to the good stuff: Oozy Dulce de Leche Sandwich Cookies.

I wish I could lay claim to this recipe. Oh how do I. To that recipe and the other 64 cupcakes, tartlets, cookies, mousses, candies, and ice creams that are caramel laden and laced in ways that I had never even dreamed of.

That being said, in the interest of good journalism, I have to be honest; The cookies themselves weren’t as exciting as I’d hoped. The Dulce de Leche? Hells yeah. That stuff was drooled over, sucked and polished off faster than… Well, you get the idea. When it comes to dessert, I want each and every aspect of the dish to blow my mind. The cookies though seemed to be a mere vehicle for the sauce, rather than a treat in their own right. So I forewent (is that a word?) the cookies and just used a spoon. Because any day I can cuddle up to and spoon with caramel is a good day.

…Just ask my ass. Which, thanks to Carole’s book, is getting happier (and unarguably larger) since obtaining this book.

Happy #CookieSaturday to you, my friends.

Giveaway after the recipe!

Dulce de Leche Sandwich Cookies 2014-09-27 12:28:28

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Prep Time 3 hr 30 min
Cook Time 1 hr 30 min
Total Time 5 hr
Prep Time 3 hr 30 min
Cook Time 1 hr 30 min
Total Time 5 hr
For the Cookies

1. 6 Ounces (12 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
2. 3 Ounces (1/2 C) firmly packed brown sugar
3. 2 Tsp pure vanilla extract
4. 9 Ounces (2 C) all purpose flour
5. Half teaspoon kosher or fine-grained sea salt.

For the Dulce de Leche filling

1. One can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

For the cookies

1. Beat the butter in the bowl of an electric stand mixer using the flat beater attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand-held mixer, on medium speed until fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and beat together well. Stop occasionally and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the vanilla and blend thoroughly.
2. Sift the flour into a small bowl. Add the salt and toss to blend. Add this mixture to the butter mixture, in 3 stages, blending thoroughly after each addition.
3. Divide the dough in half and place each half on a large piece of waxed paper. Roll each piece of dough into a log about 1 inch wide and 8-10 inches long. Wrap the rolls tightly in the waxed paper and then in plastic wrap. Chill the logs 3-4 hours, or until firm.
4. Position the racks to the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Line the baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick liners. Unwrap one cookie log and place it on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife and cut the log into 1/3-inch thick slices. To keep the round shape of the log, roll it over slightly after a few slices. Place the slices on the baking sheets, leaving an inch of space between them. Repeat with the remaining cookie log.
5. Bake for 5 minutes. Switch the baking pans on the oven racks and bake another 5 minutes, until light golden. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and completely cool the cookies on the baking sheets on racks. Lift the cookies from the parchment paper and turn half of them so that their bottoms face up.
6. Fill the pastry bag with the Dulce de Leche. Pipe a small mound (about 1 inch) of Dulce de Leche in the center of half of the flat cookies then place the remaining cookies on top of the filling, pressing down slightly to spread it to the edges.

For the Dulce de Leche

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F.
2. Place the milk in an 8-inch square baking pan or a pie pan. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and place the pan into a large baking or roasting pan. Pour hot water halfway up the outsides of the baking pan or pie pan.
3. Bake until the mixture is thick and caramel brown, about 1 1/4 hours to 1 1/2 hours. Maintain the level of water in the larger pan by adding more water, if necessary, as the milk bakes.
4. Remove the baking pan from the water bath, uncover the pan and place it on a wire rack to cool completely. When cool, cover the Dulce de Leche tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before using.

Notes

1. Keeping the cookies: Store the cookies without the filling, tightly covered with aluminum foil, at room temperature, for up to 3 days. Store the filled cookies, at room temperature, for up to 2 days.
2. Keeping the Dulce de Leche: Store the Dulce de Leche in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

By Carole Bloom She Eats http://sheeats.ca/

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Giveaway closes this coming Friday Night at 11:59PM.
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Disclosure of Material Connection: Gibbs-Smith and Carole Bloom sent me a review and giveaway copy at no cost.Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. All opinions and information is entirely accurate and a reflection of my true experience and was not influenced, in any way, by the above mentioned products. Opinions and views are my own. Because that’s how I roll, yo. I’ve never been one to shut my mouth – I’m not going to start now.

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