The July Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Nicole at Sweet Tooth. She chose Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies and Milan Cookies from pastry chef Gale Gand of the Food Network.

Milanos were a special treat when I was a kid. Then sight of those white paper bags still makes my mouth water.

Making my own sounded like a great challenge.  It’s a pretty simple recipe – a light egg white cookie, sandwiched around dark chocolate.  Since it was me making them, I made half of them with a white chocolate filling instead.  The orange zest was particularly nice  in the creamy white chocolate.

I don’t know if it’s the DC heat, or something else, but the cookies came out slightly sticky – without the crumbly crunch I was looking for.  The chocolate set nicely overnight, but the stickiness persisted.

Not something I’ll likely bake again – but perhaps a good basis for other experiments!

Read on for the recipe…

Milan Cookies
Recipe adapted from Gale Gand, from Food Network website

Prep Time: 20 min
Inactive Prep Time: 0 min
Cook Time: 1 hr 0 min
Serves: about 3 dozen cookies

• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 7/8 cup egg whites (from about 6 eggs)
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons orange extract
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• Cookie filling, recipe follows

Cookie filling:
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces semisweet or white chocolate, chopped
• 1 orange, zested

1. In a mixer with paddle attachment cream the butter and the sugar.
2. Add the egg whites gradually and then mix in the vanilla and lemon extracts.
3. Add the flour and mix until just well mixed.
4. Fill a gallon sized ziplock bag with the batter.  slice off one corner, making about a 1/4 inch opening.  Line a baking sheet with parchment, and pipe on about 2 inch long stripes of batter onto the pan, spaced about 2 inches apart.

5. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges. Let cool on the pan.

6. While waiting for the cookies to cool, in a small saucepan over medium flame, scald cream.

7. Pour hot cream over chocolate in a bowl, whisk to melt chocolate, add zest and blend well.  Set aside to cool (the mixture will thicken as it cools).

9. Spread a thin amount of the filling onto the flat side of a cookie.  Press another cookie on top. Repeat.