Magical chocolate malt cookies

You know I love all things sweet.  And I am not going to share something with you that does not taste wonderful.  But these cookies are truly special.

Ice cream is not my first dessert choice (don’t get me wrong, if it’s my only sweet option, I will have a bite or two) but I have always enjoyed a good chocolate malt.  There is something about the taste of malt powder whether in an ice cream treat or or in chocolate covered malted milk balls that feels very nostalgic and satisfying to me.  I found this recipe for these Chocolate Malt Sandwiches during the holiday season and my only complaint about these cookies is that I have  not made them sooner!

Chocolate Malt Sandwiches  (recipe from Food Network Magazine)

Cookies:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup malted milk powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 12 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, at room temperature

Filling:

• 4 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 Tbsp malted milk powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 325°.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  
2. Combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar, malted milk powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl
3. With mixer on medium-high speed add the vanilla and then butter, a few pieces at a time and mix until the dough looks like wet sand and holds together when pinched, about 5 minutes.
4. Scrape the dough onto a sheet of parchment paper and pat into a 1/2-inch-thick round.  Cover with another sheet of parchment paper and refrigerate until the dough is slightly firm, about 10 minutes.                                      
5. Roll out the dough between the parchment sheets to 1/4 inch thick.  Peel off the top sheet and cut the dough with a cookie cutter using 1 1/2-2 inch cookie cutters.  Place the cookies 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
6. Bake until cookies are set and no longer shiny about 8-10 minutes.  Cool for 5 minutes on baking sheets then transfer to rack to cool completely.
7. For the filling:  Combine white chocolate, malted milk powder, salt and vanilla in medium bowl.  Bring cream to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat, then pour over the white chocolate mixture and stir until smooth.  Refrigerate until cold, about 25 minutes, then beat with a mixer until thick and spreadable about 1 minute.
8. Spread on half of cookies and sandwich with other half of cookies.

Dough will look like wet sand

 Roll out dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper

 Make the filling

   Beat with mixer after refrigerating 25 minutes

                                                                                           

Nectarine berry galette after a fresh catch

My dad recently returned from a fishing trip in Alaska.   Last weekend we were at the family lake cabin again and got to indulge in his fresh catches.  While dinner was being made, I was thinking about dessert (you know me and my sweet tooth).  I wanted something light and refreshing to compliment the lovely fresh fish and I did not want to go to the grocery store.  With plenty of fresh fruit around, I decided to make a galette.  The beautiful thing about this dessert is that you can make it with whatever fresh fruit you have on hand regardless of the time of year.  In the fall and winter it is wonderful with apples or pears and in the spring and summer the sky is the limit:  peaches, plums, nectarines, berries, etc.  So while preparations for the fish feed were underway,

I whipped up my favorite pastry dough, pâte brisée, sliced some nectarines, rinsed some berries and while we devoured the fresh salmon and halibut, dessert baked in the oven.  To top of this simple summer delight, I made some ginger whipped cream.

Pâte brisée                      (Recipe from Martha Stewart)

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon ice water

1. Pulse flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor until combined.    Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining, about 5 seconds.
2. Drizzle water evenly over mixture. Pulse until mixture just begins to hold together, about 10 seconds. (Dough should not be wet or sticky.) Press dough into 1 large disk (for mini pies) or 2 small disks (for large pie), and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour or overnight.

(I was at the lake cabin and therefore did not have a food processor so I used my hands which worked just fine.)

Roll out dough on floured work surface

Place dough onto parchment-lined baking sheet

For the filling:

• 4 cups of your fruit of choice
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1/3 cup sugar

Mix ingredients and pour or arrange fruit over pastry crust

 Fold crust over partially covering fruit working in a circle

Brush top of pastry with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar

Bake at 450° for 20 minutes or until golden brown

Serve with whipped cream or ice cream (for my ginger whipped cream, mix 1 cup whipping cream, 1 tsp ginger paste and 1/2 cup powdered sugar with a mixer until medium to firm peaks form)