Dear Luas driver who held the tram for me,
Thanks. Like seriously. Not that it-was-drilled-into-me-as-a-child habitual thanks I give to the cashier in a shop but like a proper 'Thanks for saving my bacon.' Most likely it was pity that drove you to pause for me. I am not an attractive runner, I am all flailing arms and legs. And let's not even acknowledge that I was simultaneously trying to lasso my earphones off the ground so I wouldn't step on them and find my travel card in the world's most untidy-est handbag. But one man's pity is another's saving grace.
I could tell you that I was late because I was taking a quick shot of these homemade Oreos but you would probably think I was a little mad. Its a disease/gift/obsession... Maybe we just shouldn't go there.
This recipe is from the epic Bravetart. She has also an obsession with recreating the treats of childhood down to perfect carbon copies without the artificial nasties. These cookies taste bang on, the biscuit has just a hint of bitter with the sweetness of the buttercream coming to the rescue.
3oz/75g butter at room temperature
3.75g/93g caster sugar
1.5oz/37.5g brown sugar
1/2 tbsp salt
scant 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp coffee powder
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 egg yolks
4oz/100g rice flour sifted (or plain flour)
3oz/75g cocoa powder sifted
For the Frosting
3oz/75g butter
5oz/125g icing sugar sifted
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
pinch salt
1. Preheat the oven to 175oC/350oF. Beat the butter and sugar, baking soda, powder, espresso, vanilla and salt until just combined, for one minute only.
2. Add the yolks one at a time and then scrape down the bowl.
3. Add the rice flour and cocoa powder and mix until a stiff dough forms.
4. Roll into a ball, then flatten and wrap in clingfilm and put in the fridge for 30 minutes at least.
5. Once chilled, dust a surface with cocoa powder. Roll out the dough to 1/8inch thickness only. If you have them any thicker, once you sandwich them you will have a doorstopper instead of a biscuit!
6. Stamp out the biscuits and put on a baking sheet. Gather up about 1.5oz/40g of dough scraps and put in a bowl. Add a teaspoon of hot water at a time and beat vigorously until you have a paste that is the thickness of frosting.
7. Put in a piping bag with the smallest nib you have or alternatively snip the corner off a zip lock bag. Pipe a swirly crazy pattern on top of the biscuits. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
8. Leave them to cool on the sheet.
9. Put all the ingredients for the frosting in a big bowl and beat with an electric beater for 10 minutes straight.
10. Pipe/Spoon the frosting onto half of the biscuits and then put another biscuit on top. Press down gently and refrigerate for several hours. This is very important as refrigeration gives the biscuits their authentic taste.
