Do you ever have a day where it just feels like everything is going wrong and patience is just a foreign word that has no meaning at all?
Today I was having one of those days. I was starting to snap at my undeserving 1 year old (yep, I'll admit it!) and I needed a big time attitude adjustment... and fast. After several not-so-successful attempts at finding some patience, I finally remembered where I needed to head. To my kitchen!
Unfortunately, it usually takes a few hours of misery before I remember how to start winning back my sanity. Baking is my sanity, my art. Putting together a recipe, following exact directions and ending up with a perfect treat that makes people happy and lets me express myself! That's what calms me down and puts me back on the right track.
I needed to bake today, but I needed to bake something different. Something new. Something that had a few more steps and a bit more time involved, because I really needed to find that much sanity. I needed to lose myself in something new instead of going through the motions of something I can practically do with my mind turned off!
Now, that doesn't mean this is at all a difficult recipe... it just has a few steps that need a break in between; Dough chilling, cookies cooling, frosting firming, glaze setting, etc. I started with a recipe from "Big Fat Cookies", a cookbook I have had for years that every so often calls my name with it's beautiful pictures and fun creative recipes.
The end result is a decadent cookie that tastes kind of like a Thin Mint... only much better! And yes... I'm feeling much calmer and have again found the meaning of patience. For now!!
Peppermint Patty Sandwich Cookies Recipe
Ingredients:
for the cookies:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
for the filling:
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
for the glaze:
1 cup chocolate chips
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325ºF and line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
In your mixer bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until smooth and blended. Slowly mix in the flour mixture until the dough is just mixed and smooth. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge to chill for about 20 minutes.
Scoop out equal scoops of dough onto your prepared cookie sheets, pressing them down with your palm to about 1/4 inch thick.
Bake for 15-17 minutes, until the cookies are firm and no longer shiny. Let cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes and then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.
When the cookies are cool, make the filling. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla and peppermint until smooth and thick. Turn half of the cookies bottom side up and scoop a full teaspoon of filling into the center of each. Carefully place another cookie, bottom side down, on top of the filling and press down gently to spread the filling into an even layer.
Place the filled cookies back onto a baking sheet and place in the fridge while you prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, stir together the chocolate chips and oil and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir well to melt the chocolate chips, and - if you need to - microwave again for another 15 seconds, stirring until smooth.
Take the cookies out of the fridge and spoon a dollop of chocolate on top of each sandwich, smoothing out with the back of the spoon. Return the tray to the fridge to chill for about 2 hours. Store the cookies in the fridge in a tupperware container, separated by wax paper, for several days, or freeze for later!
