Stroopwafels with Caramel Cinnamon Filling
or Chocolate Hazelnut Filling
Book Description
Americans spend over $550 million annually on Oreos, some indication of our cookie infatuation. Meeting that passion head-on, The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion offers 400-plus recipes for almost every cookie under the sun--from traditional favorites like oatmeal and chocolate chip cookies (13 recipes including the soft and crisp kinds, plus 11 variations, such a Orange-Pistachio Milk Chocolate Chippers); to global treats like shortbread, tuiles, springerle, and biscotti; to all kinds of
These caramel-cinnamon treats, native to the Netherlands, elevate the term “sandwich cookie” to new heights. To serve them as they do in Amsterdam, set a cookie atop your mug of steaming coffee; it will act as a lid to keep the coffee warm and will soften a bit in the process. Note: You must have a pizzelle (or krumkake, or waffle cone) maker, preferably a “mini,” to prepare these.
Preheat a mini-waffle cone iron or mini-pizzelle iron. If you don’t have a mini-iron, use a regular-sized one; your stroopwafels will just be larger than normal.
TO MAKE THE BATTER: In a medium-sized bowl, or in a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter; let it cool slightly. Whisk in the brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder and stir into the butter mixture.
Drop the batter by the teaspoonful onto the lightly greased, heated iron. Close the lid and bake until golden brown. Irons vary, so try a test cookie first to determine baking time. Remove the cookie from the iron and place on a rack to cool completely before filling.
TO MAKE THE FILLING: In a medium-sized saucepan set over low heat, combine the water, sugar, butter, and corn syrup, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Cover the pan and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes. Remove the lid and stir in the cinnamon. Boil until the syrup reaches the soft-ball stage, 234 degrees F to 240 degrees F. Remove from the heat and let cool for about 10 minutes.
TO ASSEMBLE: Place about 1/2 teaspoon of syrup onto each cookie. Sandwich pairs of cookies, pressing them together to spread the filling. Be careful, as the caramel is very hot. If it cools too much, making it hard to spread, rewarm slightly. Store cookies in an airtight container.
Nutrition information per serving
(1 sandwich cookie, 33 g): 128 cal, 6 g fat, 1 g protein, 5 g complex carbohydrates, 14 g sugar, 34 mg cholesterol, 62 mg sodium, 59 mg potassium, 56 RE vitamin A, 1 mg vitamin C, 1 mg iron, 33 mg calcium, 25 mg phosphorus.
VARIATION:
CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT FILLING If you’re one of those folks who think a cookie just isn’t a cookie without chocolate, try this rich chocolate-hazelnut filling.
1/2 cup (about 5 ounces) praline paste
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped or, 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
Melt the praline paste and chocolate together in a double boiler, or in a microwave on mw power. Place about 1/2 teaspoon of filling onto each cookie. Sandwich pairs of cookies, pressing them together gently. Allow to stand until the filling is set, several hours at (cool) room temperature or 2 to 3 hours in the refrigerator. Store cookies in an airtight container.
THAT RAINY DAY FEELING Humid weather can wreak havoc with crisp cookies, especially ultrathin ones. To keep crisp cookies crisp, store them in an airtight container with a moisture absorber (sometimes called a cracker crisper). If unprotected cookies become soggy, lay them in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet and refresh them in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 5 to 10 minutes. (Thinner cookies will need less time, thicker, a little more.) Remove them from the oven and cool them on a rack; this process should restore them to their former splendor.
