Brookie Sandwiches

Things are getting back to normal in the Wilde household.  Last week I stayed with friends on Long Island so that I could get to work without spending more than six hours a day commuting.  I learned how to play Texas hold-em (I know, I'm the last person in the world to learn), got to sleep until 7:30am and baked banana bread at night. 

This week, the Long Island trains normalized and boyfriend offered to drive me to Secaucus junction.  It meant that he had to wake up an hour early and work an extra long day to pick me up on the way home.  Isn't he sweet?  By Tuesday, New Jersey transit opened up the Midtown direct connection and trains were running only three miles from my house and come Wednesday I was taking my normal train, albiet at an unusual time. 

I'm excited to be back in my apartment and sleeping in my bed.  Boyfriend in enjoying his extra shut eye.  Hopefully my Long Island friends will be happy when I bring them cookies.  My kitchen is happy to have me back, or sad because I'm going to make it messy again.  I'm not really sure.  Come by this weekend for the nut butter "Why Bother 2012" challenge post.  With living in Long Island and weekending in Montreal, I haven't had a chance to get back into my kitchen!

If you have been affected by the hurricane, I hope that things are getting back to normal for you.  So many of my friends just got power back this Sunday!  If you were outside of the storms path, I hope you are almost ready for Thanksgiving.  I can't believe it's next week!

One Year Ago: Cherry-Coconut Muffins
Two Years Ago: Thanksgiving Cranberry Bars

Brookie Sandwiches

Adapted from Cookies Magazine

I have been waiting to make brookies (brownie cookies!) for quite some time now.  These little gems were worth the wait.  The espresso made the chocolate in the cookies stand out and the mascarpone filling perfectly balanced out the sweetness.  Give these a go for your next party, they'll disappear so quickly.

5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate morsels
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp instant espresso powder
2 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F and line three cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

In a small saucepan, melt semi-sweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate and butter over low heat.  Stir until everything is combined.  It will form a paste, rather than a flowing chocolate liquid.  Set aside for a few minutes to cool.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and espresso powder.  In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla together for 4 minutes on high.  Mixture should lighten in color and thicken in texture. 

Add chocolate to the egg mixture and fold in with a rubber spatula.  Add flour mixture and mini chocolate chips and mix gently until just combined.  Let batter sit for 10 minutes to allow it to thicken.

Drop 1 tbsp batter onto parchment-lined baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.  Bake the cookies for 8 minutes until the tops are cracked and cookies don't giggle when the pan is shaken.  Remove from the oven and let cool for 1 minute on their baking sheets.  After 1 minute, transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely before filling and sandwiching.

Mascarpone filling

8 ounces mascarpone cheese
2 tbsp powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp heavy cream

In a small bowl, stir together cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and whipping cream until smooth.  Either spoon 1 tbsp of filling onto every other cookie, or transfer filling to a piping bag and top every other cookie with 1 tbsp filling.  Store cookies in the fridge for up to three days.