Well maybe alot of comfort.
As this post comes online, I will at a local hospital having a gastro endoscopy as per my last visit with my gastrointerologist.
I'm super freaked out about it. Like to the point I'm having bad dreams about it.
I know nothing bad will happen and that I want this test to be done to give me more insight in my tummy issues. But I'm totally freaking out.
I'm being sedated and I'll be loopy for the balance of the day, so if you see any crazy Gary Busey/Charlie Sheen-esqe tweets, it's the meds talking.
Of course what better to soothe my nerves than cookies? Especially oreo cookies. But not the commercial ones filled with nasty preservatives and such, homemade ones. Crunchy, chocolate wafers that are sweet and salty all at once holding together a good blob (oh yeah, that's a food term) of sweet, vanilla icing.
It's all the comfort I need.
Okay, maybe some kitty snuggles and Madmen on DVD and being restricted away from the computer (it's for my own good) will do some good too.
Or just cookies. Lots and lots of cookies.
Homemade Oreos
{ adapted from Retro Desserts }
The original recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of sugar, I used just a cup since I enjoy a less sweet cookie because the icing is so sweet. If you like a sweeter cookie, go ahead and use the full cup and a half of sugar.
wafers:
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, dutch process
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 to 1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
filling:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted icing sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Set oven racks in center of the oven. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a food processor or stand mixer, mix together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar. Once well blended, add the butter and mix on low, followed by the egg, mix until well combined. Batter will not come together in a cohesive ball, put should be able to be press into form if squeezed.
Drop rounded tablespoons of batter onto the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Flatten dough slightly using fingers. Bake for 9 minutes. It's okay if they are under baked a little, makes a chewier cookie. Set baking sheets on rack to cool.
To build your oreos, you can either pipe the icing onto the center of one cookie and top with another cookie, pressing evenly to fill to the outsides of the cookie. Or alternatively if you don't feel comfortable using a piping bag, or make a complete mess of yourself and the kitchen (like me), you can spread a good smear of icing on one cookie using an offset spatula and top with another cookie to finish.
Continue filling cookies until all have been sammiched. I like to refrigerate mine for at least 15 minutes before serving so the icing doesn't ooze out, but you're more than welcome to enjoy them right away.
