Milano Cookies

On any given day, there are dozens of cakes, cupcakes and cookies scattered over every counter top in my kitchen - one of the hazards of being a personal chef.  My kids are so accustomed to the overwhelming amount of sweet treats in the house that they generally walk right past them without as much as a second look.  With that being said, I rarely buy bakery items for my kids from the store because I make so many sugary desserts at home.  On the rare occasion that I do bring home a package of store bought cookies, they act as if they have been deprived of something fabulous.  Walking through the door with a package of oreos or a bag of Milano cookies immediately launches my kids into serious negotiation over how they should be divided and shared.  Homemade cookies can linger on the counter for several days but Milano cookies are eaten almost immediately.  

​I wanted to recreate the Milano cookies so that I could determine once and for all if my kids really just preferred cookies out of a bag or if they really are better than a typical homemade cookie.

Homemade Milano Cookies 
- 12 tablespoons (170grams/ 6 oz) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 1/2 cups (312.5 grams/ 11.02 oz) powdered sugar
- 7/8 cup egg whites (from about 6 eggs)
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (187.5grams/ 6.61 oz) all purpose flour 

Cookie filling:
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (I used dark chocolate)

Cream the butter and the sugar.

Add the egg whites gradually and then mix in the vanilla extract.

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​Add the flour and mix until just well mixed.

​With a small (1/4-inch) plain tip, pipe 1-inch sections of batter onto a parchment-lined sheet pan, spacing them 2 inches apart as they spread.

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

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

​Pour hot cream over chocolate in a bowl, whisk to melt chocolate and blend well.

Set aside to cool (the mixture will thicken as it cools).  Spread a thin amount of the filling onto the flat side of a cookie while the filling is still soft and press the flat side of a second cookie on top.

Repeat with the remainder of the cookies.

​These cookies were extremely good.  I thought they tasted a LOT like the original Milano.  My kids scarfed them up almost as quickly as they do the Pepperidge Farm cookies that come in packed in fluted white liners.  I have come to the conclusion that my kids really do like great cookies - not just because they're store bought but because they taste great. 

Ciao!

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