Friday, October 24, 2008

Raspberry Cream Sandwich Cookies and Graham PB Bon Bons



I haven't found out the results of the pizza contest yet, but I did get around to making that pot pie. Look for it on Sunday with some fab twists. Now for some treats!

Last week my husband asked me to bake some goodies for a team meeting at work. I had a couple of things I wanted to try, but then the day before he told me he wanted me to make a pony cake instead. You see, my daughter is turning 4 tomorrow and she is obsessed with horses. She wanted a horse cake, so I looked online to see if Wilton had a cute pony pan. They do. Only problem is that they haven't made it since 1986. Back when I used to play with My Little Pony. Luckily, I found one on E-bay and with a little help from my bro (Thanks Jake!), secured the pan. My husband told me I could practice and make his co-worker a b-day cake. It was a joke, of course. What 30+year old man actually wants a pink pony cake for his birthday? Everyone got a good laugh and my hand was hurting from piping all those stars. I get to do it again today!
I also made these delicious sandwich cookies from Martha Stewart. The cookies are great by themselves but even better with the Raspberry-White Chocolate Cream Filling. I used another vanilla bean (can I say expensive?) and then threw together some Peanut Butter Bon Bons. They may sound simple, but they are a crowd pleaser!






Raspberry Cream Sandwich Cookies from Martha Stewart Cookies
1 3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 sticks (10 Tbs.) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 c. plus 2 tsp. sugar
1 lg. egg
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved
6 oz. (1 cup) fresh raspberries
7 1/2 oz. best-quality white chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/3 c. heavy cream


Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
Mix butter and 1 1/2 c. sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 min.
Add egg, extract and vanilla seeds; mix until smooth.
Reduce speed to low.
Gradually mix in flour mixture.
Scoop batter using a 1-inch ice cream scoop; space 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
Bake cookies 4 minutes.
Remove from oven; gently tap baking sheets on counter to flatten cookies.
Return to oven, switching positions of sheets; bake until cookies are just set, 4 to 6 minutes more.
Let cool on parchment paper on wire racks.
Puree raspberries and remaining 2 tsp. sugar in a food processor.
Pour mixture through a fine sieve into a small bowl, pressing to extract juice; discard seeds.
Set mixture aside.
Melt white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.
Remove from heat; whisk in cream in a slow stream.
Whisk in reserved raspberry mixture.
Refrigerate 30 minutes.
Spread 1 heaping teaspoon raspberry cream on the undersides of half the cookies.
Sandwich with remaining cookies.
Cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container up to 2 days.


Graham and Peanut Butter Bon Bons 1 1/2 cups rice krispies
1 1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup powdered sugar
12 oz white or dark chocolate candy coating (I used Bakers milk chocolate dipping chocolate)

In a large bowl, stir together cereal, peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, and sugar. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Shape crumb mixture into balls, using 1 level Tbls for each.
Melt candy coating or dipping chocolate and dip each ball in coating, letting the excess drip off. Place on wax or parchment paper. Refrigerate at least 20 minutes or until set. Store in an airtight container

Coming Tomorrow- Minestone and Easy Breadsticks!

17 comments:

Cathy said...

Oh, HOW CUTE is that cake (and how cute is your little birthday girl admiring the cake?) Wow, nice practice round! Hope your wrists are all rested up for another go-round today. All I've got to say is VIVE la ebay! My son was really into the Incredibles around his birthday last summer, and silly me, I thought Incredibles stuff would be readily available in stores. No, not so much. ebay saved the day!

The cookies and bon bons look wonderful, too!

Ralonda said...

What an adorable cake! Great job!
Good luck making another one today!
The cookies and the bon bons look yummy as I'm sitting here enjoying a little coffee waiting for the kiddos to finish getting ready so I can drive them to school... wish I had a few of them to munch on, mmmmmm.
Have a great weekend!

Mary Ann said...

Cathy,
I can see how getting Incredibles stuff would be difficult. I haven't really gotten into e-bay, so I had to call in other family members! These treats were yummy! p

Ralonda- I am thinking these cookies would probably make a good breakfast- Raspberries are fruit, right?

Steph said...

You did an amazing job on the pony cake. Aww.. I wish I had a my little pony. Those cookies look great, I love how they are a little crackly on top. I'm always trying to get that effect on my cookies, but sometimes they just turn out smooth.

vibi said...

I'm floored! Your cake looks like it was made by a professional! WOW!

It seems the pony craze is contagious... my daughter too is a big fan of horses, she'd kill to get one of those on her b-day!
Psssst... it doesn't go away either, 'cause she's 9! so arm yourself with patience, you might have many more horse cakes to make in the coming years!!! LOL

Emily said...

Mary Ann your pony borthdya cake is darling! Your cookies and bon bons look mighty tasty too! I love your blog! So much in fact that I gave you a Kreativ blogger award . . . check mine out to see . . .

Cathy said...

Hi, I'm back again! Looks like I'm not alone (no surprise there!) but I've tagged you for an award. You can pick it up towards the end of my (really long-winded -- sorry!) Cooking Light Night post. I think your blog is great! BTW, CUTE new profile picture!

Anonymous said...

What a cute cake! Gotta love Ebay. I really like those chocolate bonbon cookies.

Maria said...

The cake is adorable! What a fun birthday treat! I am going to sugar shock over here:) The bon bons and cookies look fantastic!

Aggie said...

Wow, what a cake!! You are so talented Mary Ann! That's so funny it was for his coworker!

Those cookie sandwiches and bonbons look so good!

PS...thanks for the compliment on my new blog design! I just posted a link to the designer, she is great!

Mary Ann said...

Steph- thanks- these cookies were really will liked and there shape and texture was lovely.

Vibi- Thanks- I guess I should keep the cake pan then? I can't really see her getting over the horses stage.

Emily- Thank you- I'll be right over to check out the award!

Cathy- Thanks for coming back- I love your posts and CL is my fave. Thanks for the comment about my pic!

Candy- I am just now understanding that e-bay can really save you in a sticky situation!

Maria- Definitely some sugar highs this week, but we will eat some tofu to make up for it!

Aggie- Thanks for coming by and thanks for posting the link for the designer. I think I could use a face lift over here.

The Blonde Duck said...

I WANT THAT CAKE!

And the cookies. And the bon bons.

Please.

You have no idea how badly I'm not kidding.

Mary Ann said...

Blonde Duck- Come on over and we will share with you!

Prudy said...

Mary Ann:
I love your new pic. You look so beautiful holding your baby girl. YOu are just amazing! I can't believe all the baking you get done. I must be sleeping too much! I really would love those cookies and that cake is enough to make any pink loving girl swoon.

Prudy said...

OH, and the pizza contest! Let me know as soon as you find out. I'm rooting for you and also hoping that this will be the start of a grand career in contest cooking.

Shari said...

2 pink pony cakes plus all those cookies! You're amazing!

Nancy/n.o.e said...

Those peanut butter bon bons have been on my radar for a while. Yum, and the sandwich cookies too. Well, and the pony cake is pretty special - my girls would have loved that at age 4. They were at that My Little Pony age in the early 90's.
Nancy