Molasses Cookie Sandwiches Recipes

BUTTERSCOTCH ICE CREAM SANDWICHES WITH MOLASSES COOKIES AND CARAMELIZED PINEAPPLE

Steps:

• For the butterscotch ice cream base: Combine the butter and 5 tablespoons brown sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently with a heatproof rubber spatula, until the mixture is thick and bubbly and darkens slightly in color. Carefully and slowly, pour in the milk and cream. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the caramel is dissolved and the mixture is scalding hot. Turn off the heat.
• Whisk together the egg yolks, salt and remaining 5 tablespoons brown sugar in a bowl until well combined. Slowly ladle in about one-third of the hot milk mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium-low and heat slowly, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, until the custard reaches 175 degrees F and has thickened slightly. Do not allow to boil or the mixture will curdle. Set the pan into a larger container half-filled with ice and water and stir occasionally until completely chilled. Stir in the vanilla extract. If the custard is not totally smooth, strain through a fine-mesh strainer or blend until smooth with a handheld immersion blender.
• Process in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's directions. Store in the freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.
• For the sorghum molasses cookies: Add the butter and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl, if using a handheld mixer). Using the paddle attachment (for the stand mixer), beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula, and beat again for 20 seconds to ensure a homogeneous mixture. Add the egg and beat until incorporated. Add the molasses and beat again until incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula, and beat again for 20 seconds.
• Combine the flour blend, baking soda, cinnamon, chia seed, ginger, salt and nutmeg in a medium bowl with a whisk. Add the dry mixture to the stand mixer bowl and stir on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase the speed to medium and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula, and beat again for 20 seconds. (For easier shaping, chill the dough for several hours until firm.)
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (if using a convection oven, preheat to 325 degrees F.) Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Using a small ice cream scoop, shape 1-ounce balls of dough (2 tablespoons in size) and roll them lightly in turbinado sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheets 4 inches apart and flatten slightly with your hands to a 1/2-inch thickness.
• Bake, rotating the pans once from front to back and from the bottom rack to the top rack during baking, until rich golden brown all over and puffed in the center, about 18 minutes. They will spread quite a bit and feel just set. Allow to cool completely, then freeze until ready to assemble the sandwiches.
• To assemble the sandwiches: Remove the ice cream from the freezer. If it is too firm to scoop easily, allow to soften for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Remove the cookies from the freezer. Place 6 cookies face-down on a baking sheet. Top each cookie with a generous scoop of butterscotch ice cream, then top each with another cookie, face-up. Press down gently with the palm of your hand until the ice cream spreads to the edges of cookies. Place the sandwiches in the freezer until ready to serve.
• For the pineapple: Toss the pineapple with the brown sugar, rum, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl. Let marinate, stirring once or twice, until the sugar has dissolved and the pineapple releases its juices, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain the pineapple, reserving the marinade.
• Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. When the pan is quite hot, add the butter and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the pineapple to the pan, spreading the pieces out in a single layer and taking care not to crowd the pan. When the pan has recovered its heat, pour in the marinade and allow to reduce until thickened and bubbly. Turn over the pineapple pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is all but evaporated and the pineapple is nicely browned all over. Remove the pineapple from the skillet.
• To serve: Cut each ice cream sandwich in half and plate with the warm, caramelized pineapple. Add a drizzle of caramel sauce and garnish with a bright edible flower and a sprinkle of powdered sugar. Enjoy!

MOLASSES SANDWICH COOKIES WITH COFFEE CREAM

Steps:

• Make the Cookies:
• Whisk flour, coffee, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and allspice in a medium bowl.
• Whisk butter, brown sugar, molasses, and 3/4 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl until smooth (it may stiffen and separate at first; keep whisking until it loosens up). Whisk in egg.
• Add dry ingredients to butter mixture. Mix with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon just until combined. Cover and chill dough until firm, at least 20 minutes or up to overnight.
• Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375°F. Place granulated sugar in a shallow bowl. Working with about one-quarter of dough and chilling remaining dough while you assemble and bake, scoop dough by the tablespoonful and roll into balls; you should get 10 per batch. It's important to bake only 1 sheet of cookies at a time; they're very temperature-sensitive and will spread too much otherwise. Roll balls in granulated sugar, then arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing 2" apart.
• Bake cookies until centers are cracked and edges are set, 5-7 minutes. Resist the urge to bake the cookies longer; the aim is to maintain their chew and they will continue to crisp as they cool. If cookies are puffed, tap pan against counter as soon as they come out of the oven to deflate. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool 5 minutes. Remove cookies from pan and let cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough for a total of 4 batches and 40 cookies.
• Do Ahead:
• Dough can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Unfilled cookies can be made 5 days ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
• Make the Filling and Assemble:
• Place butter and 6 oz. chocolate in a large bowl. Bring cream just to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat, then stir in coffee, vanilla, and salt. Pour hot cream mixture over chocolate and butter and whisk until smooth. Chill until ganache is cooled and thickened, about 20 minutes. Beat with an electric mixer or vigorously by hand with a whisk until lightened in color and stiff.
• Melt remaining 2 oz. chocolate in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Transfer to a pastry bag and snip off end of bag (or use a resealable plastic bag and cut off 1 corner) to make a very small opening.
• Place 1 rounded tablespoon of filling on half of cookies. Press remaining cookies on top. Pipe thin lines of melted chocolate over in desired design.
• Do Ahead:
• Filled cookies can be made 2 days ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

MOLASSES SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
• In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat sugar and butter until combined. Beat in egg, then molasses, until smooth. On low speed, gradually add flour mixture until a dough forms.
• Drop rounded measuring teaspoonfuls of dough onto 2 ungreased (or parchment-lined) baking sheets, about 1 1/2 inches apart.
• Bake until centers are dry to the touch, 12 to 15 minutes; rotate pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through. Cool 1 minute on baking sheets; then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• Make Creamy Molasses Filling: Whisk butter with molasses until smooth. Gradually whisk in confectioners' sugar; whisk until smooth and spreadable. Makes 1 1/2 cups.
• Spread a rounded measuring teaspoonful of Creamy Molasses Filling on the flat side of a cookie; place another cookie on top, and gently press. Repeat until all cookies are filled. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 day, or refrigerate up to 3 days (cookies may soften during refrigeration).

MOLASSES COOKIE SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Adjust the oven rack to middle. Line 2 sheet trays with parchment.
• Whisk the brown sugar in a large bowl to get rid of the lumps. Add the butter and stir until smooth. Stir in the molasses, vanilla and egg, mixing until well combined.
• Whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger , cinnamon, cloves and salt in a separate medium bowl. Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture and stir until well incorporated and smooth, about 2 minutes.
• Pour the granulated sugar onto a plate. Divide the dough into 12 equal-size balls and roll them in the sugar. Arrange the dough on the prepared sheet trays at least 2 inches apart. Press gently to flatten. Bake about 17 minutes. Let cool completely on the sheet trays.
• Spread the chocolate hazelnut spread between 2 cookies and sandwich them together. Repeat with the remaining cookies.

MOLASSES COOKIE SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Cream together the sugar and butter in a bowl. Add the molasses and egg and mix until thoroughly combined.
• In a medium bowl, add the cake flour, bread flour, baking soda, salt and spices and whisk together. Pour into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Scoop the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and form a log. Refrigerate and chill the dough for at least 1 hour.
• While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and form into golf ball-size balls. Roll in the sugar to coat and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 4 minutes, then rotate the cookie sheet and then bake for another 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the baked cookies from the oven and cool.
• Use a 4-inch ring cutter to cut out rings of the Bacon Caramel Semifreddo and place on a cookie. Then add the crumbled bacon and sandwich with another cookie to make ice cream sandwiches.
• In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Set aside to chill in the fridge. Using an electric mixer, whip the egg whites on low until frothy. Increase the speed to medium and slowly add 3/4 cup of sugar. Whip to stiff, glossy peaks.
• Meanwhile, begin whipping the egg yolks on medium speed. Slowly add the bacon fat as the yolks begin to increase in volume. In a small saucepot, bring the remaining sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil over medium-high heat. Allow the sugar mixture to cook until it reaches 245 degrees F. Remove the sugar from the heat and slowly stream to combine with the whipped yolk mixture. Whip the yolks mixture until it triples in volume and cools completely.
• Once all three mixtures are prepared fold one-third meringue into the yolk mixture. Then gently fold the yolk mixture back into the remaining meringue in two equal additions. Just before it is completely combined, begin to fold in the whipped cream. Continue to gently fold together until completely incorporated. Spread evenly into a 17-by-12-inch jelly-roll pan. Place in the freezer until firm.

MOLASSES COOKIE SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Cream together the sugar and butter in a bowl. Add the molasses and egg and mix until thoroughly combined.
• In a medium bowl, add the cake flour, bread flour, baking soda, salt and spices and whisk together. Pour into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
• Scoop the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and form a log. Refrigerate and chill the dough for at least 1 hour.
• While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and form into golf ball-size balls. Roll in the sugar to coat and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 4 minutes, then rotate the cookie sheet and then bake for another 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the baked cookies from the oven and cool.
• Use a 4-inch ring cutter to cut out rings of the Bacon Caramel Semifreddo and place on a cookie. Then add the crumbled bacon and sandwich with another cookie to make ice cream sandwiches.
• In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Set aside to chill in the fridge. Using an electric mixer, whip the egg whites on low until frothy. Increase the speed to medium and slowly add 3/4 cup of sugar. Whip to stiff, glossy peaks.
• Meanwhile, begin whipping the egg yolks on medium speed. Slowly add the bacon fat as the yolks begin to increase in volume. In a small saucepot, bring the remaining sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil over medium-high heat. Allow the sugar mixture to cook until it reaches 245 degrees F. Remove the sugar from the heat and slowly stream to combine with the whipped yolk mixture. Whip the yolks mixture until it triples in volume and cools completely.
• Once all three mixtures are prepared fold one-third meringue into the yolk mixture. Then gently fold the yolk mixture back into the remaining meringue in two equal additions. Just before it is completely combined, begin to fold in the whipped cream. Continue to gently fold together until completely incorporated. Spread evenly into a 17-by-12-inch jelly-roll pan. Place in the freezer until firm.