Make your own Oreos

[WhollyHeretic]

I got this idea from Mario Batali's place at Foxwoods, Alta Strada. They gave you chocolate shortbread cookies and a bowl of marscarpone frosting. My wife and I loved the dessert so I decided I wanted to try it at home. It came out really well and was just perfect for a small dinner party. I put a bunch of the chocolate shortbread cookies on a plate with a bowl of the marscarpone frosting in the middle of the plate. We just put in the center of the table as a shared dessert for all. People got to put together their own Oreos. Everyone absolutely loved it. Here is the recipe I came up with (adapted from a couple different recipes online):

Cookies:
2 sticks salted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350
Beat softened butter for 30 seconds. Slowly beat in sugar. Once all sugar is in beat for another 30 seconds. Add vanilla. Beat in cocoa and then flour. Roll out to about 1/4 inch thick. Use a round cookie cutter, the one I use is about 2 1/2 inches. Place on a cookie sheet (with parchment paper preferred) Since shortbread cookies don't expand they can be placed very close together. Bake for 11-12 minutes.

Frosting
(this frosting gets stiff when refrigerated so if you make it ahead of time take it out of the fridge a couple hours before serving. I made while dinner was cooking. The frosting part is very quick)

8 oz marscarpone
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Beat together marscarpone and butter until nice and fluffy. Add vanilla. Slowly beat in sugar

[Lucinda]

1. What a great idea!

I love having people participate in the process when I entertain, and this sounds like a great way to do that!

[WhollyHeretic]

4. Everyone really seemed to enjoy that part.

[Major Nikon]

2. Here's the recipe for a more authentic filling

I'm sure it would probably turn out better using mascarpone, but it will be more expensive and different from the commercial version. Here's the copy cat recipe for the original filling:


- 1 envelope Knox unflavored gelatin
- 1/4 cup cold water
- 1 cup Crisco
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 pound plus 1 cup powdered sugar

Soften gelatin in the cold water. Place in a heatproof cup in a bowl of hot water until it becomes clear. Meanwhile, beat the Crisco until light and fluffy, adding sugar and vanilla. Beat well (about 10 minutes). Cool the gelatin and beat into the filling.

[mtnester]

5. Sometimes seeing what is in the real filling

changes everything.

:p

[Major Nikon]

6. Hard to go wrong with ground up animal bones and hydrogenated oils mixed with sugar

[QED]

7. I never liked Oreo filling

and could never understand why people lick it off or love the double stuffed Oreos.

Now I know why.

[supernova]

3. You are evil!

Posting home made oreos right as I'm trying to get back into my diet routine.

Those sound so delish!