Giada De Laurentiis Italian American Sandwich Cookie problem

[jasonr]

8)

[Lisa110]

jasonr, I was thinking of doing that, since shortening doesn't have as high a melting point as butter, but then, like you said, I didn't want to stray from the recipe, and the cookies would most definitely lose some flavor. :(

Audeo, thank you again! I'm going to try the cookies again tomorrow, with the addition of the baking powder and the 5-7 minute baking time. If they come out without losing the puff and the pretty ribs, Ms. De Laurentiis will receive an email from moi, inquiring as to why she omitted such an important step? LOL

[Psiguyy]

Originally Posted by Audeo

GASP, jasonr!!!!

Lisa, with the exception of the baking powder and baking times, the recipes are practically identical! Here's the recipe:

Italian Butter Cookies

Cream:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt

Add 1 large egg and cream again to totally incorporate the egg. Then add 1-1/4 cup all purpose flour and blend well.

Load into piping bag and chill 2 hours.

Pipe with star tip into 2" long bars onto lightly greased cookie sheet.

Bake in preheated 350 degree (F) oven for 5-7 minutes until the edges just begin to brown. Cool on wire racks.

To assemble, place a small amount of stawberry or raspberry jam on the bottom of one cookie and top with another to make a sandwich cookie. Other fillings may be used and using a dark or semi-sweet chocolate is true to tradition.

Audeo, where's the baking powder?

I was going to suggest the addition of baking powder to the FN recipe.

Could she have been using self-risng flour on the show?

[wasabi woman]

Originally Posted by Audeo

Italian Butter Cookies

Cream:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt

Add 1 large egg and cream again to totally incorporate the egg. Then add 1-1/4 cup all purpose flour and blend well.

Load into piping bag and chill 2 hours.

Pipe with star tip into 2" long bars onto lightly greased cookie sheet.

Bake in preheated 350 degree (F) oven for 5-7 minutes until the edges just begin to brown. Cool on wire racks.

To assemble, place a small amount of stawberry or raspberry jam on the bottom of one cookie and top with another to make a sandwich cookie. Other fillings may be used and using a dark or semi-sweet chocolate is true to tradition.

I read the reviews on the FoodNetwork site, and most everyone is experiencing the same problem you are. I think what is missing from Giada's recipe is the chilling.
What do you think Audeo?

[Audeo]

Originally Posted by Psiguyy

Audeo, where's the baking powder?

Stinker! It's hiding right there under the salt! :oops:

How idiotic can I be sometimes??? Trust you to find my omission!!!!

But I'd bet you're right about the self-rising flour. That would certainly explain a lot of the problems Lisa here and others have had!

Wasabi Woman, I can't imagine NOT chilling a butter-based cookie dough, else one would have an ooey-gooey mess!

[PA Baker]

Audeo, how much baking powder does your recipe call for?

[wasabi woman]

Originally Posted by Lisa110

After I piped the dough into perfect stars, I chilled them in the fridge for two hours. I was positive the cookies would hold their shape, but they spread. I decided to try again, this time freezing them for two hours, They were so firm, you could have played ping pong with them, and they still would have retained their shape!

What I was trying to say was, I think you have to chill the dough first, then put it in the piping bag and make the stars - think you will have a more dense product.

Be sure and let us know if you solve this problem, and post a review on the FoodNetwork site, there are a lot of people in the same boat!

[Lisa110]

I read the reviews on the FoodNetwork site, and most everyone is experiencing the same problem you are. I think what is missing from Giada's recipe is the chilling.
What do you think Audeo?

Actually, I did chill it for two hours and more (even freezing them once)..many times, but they still spread, so I agree with what Psiguyy and Audeo think..that maybe the recipe was supposed to contain self rising flour instead of AP flour, but that raises two questions -- First off, if the recipe was meant for self rising flour, wouldn't the salt be omitted since self rising flour already contains salt? Secondly, on her TV show,I'm pretty sure she said 'All Purpose Flour.'

Lastly, Isn't it 1/2 tsp baking powder in Audeo's recipe?

Edited to add - wasabiwoman, if you chill the dough in the piping bag, wouldn't it be very hard to pipe? It was a very dense dough before it was chilled, which is why I chilled them after they were piped.

[wasabi woman]

[quote="Lisa110"]

Edited to add - wasabiwoman, if you chill the dough in the piping bag, wouldn't it be very hard to pipe? It was a very dense dough before it was chilled, which is why I chilled them after they were piped.

Haven't made this myself, so am not sure, but did you notice that Audeo's recipe says "Load into piping bag and chill 2 hours." ?

[Lisa110]

[quote="wasabi woman"]

Originally Posted by Lisa110

Haven't made this myself, so am not sure, but did you notice that Audeo's recipe says "Load into piping bag and chill 2 hours." ?

Yes, I did, but I still wondered if it would be hard to pipe, mainly due to the fact that our recipes are the same except for the baking powder. :)