Neapolitan Cookies

So, there is no such thing as a quick trip to the market when the BF comes along.  When I need to make a quick run for one or two things and bring him with me, I have to prepare myself for a much longer journey that will end with multiple other random items not on the list (I say "no," a lot).  Going to the market while on vacation, is no exception.  On this particular trip we ended up with Neapolitan Oreos.  I should preface this with, I'm not an Oreo person at all.  However, these, these are not Oreos, these are awesome!  I don't want to admit how many of them I ate.  The tastiness that these things got me thinking, surely I can recreate these at home- fresher and with less bad stuff in them.  

The hardest part was deciding on what kind of cookie to make.  Shortbread or a chewy vanilla cookie? After much deliberation and gathering of opinions, I settled on shortbread.  Figured that the crunch of the shortbread and the slightly less sweet taste of it would compliment the strawberry and chocolate frostings nicely, and be a slightly closer match to the Oreo's texture.  

Actually, the hardest part might not have been deciding what kind of cookie to make, I think it was actually making the strawberry frosting.  That took a couple of tries.  Attempt #1, wasn't good.  Well, it tasted fine but as far as pretty points go, it scored 0.  I didn't sift the powdered sugar.  When a recipe says sift the sugar, sift the sugar!  I ended up with some chunky white sugar balls.  Again, not pretty.  Tasted fine though; I saved it and will probably whip up some cupcakes for the roomies to use it on.  I love my roommate, he'll eat anything I make and thinks it's great ...everyone needs someone like that in their life!  The easiest thing to make was the chocolate frosting. It.Is.Awesome.  Seriously, new favorite chocolate frosting recipe.  

Overall, they were quite tasty!  However, if I make them again, I think I might try a slightly sweeter cookie, like a vanilla cookie.  

Shortbread Cookies

3/4lb unslated butter, room temperature 

1 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350

• Mix the butter and 1 cup sugar until just combined.  Add vanilla.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt.  Then, add to the butter-and-sugar mixture.  Mix on low speed until the dough just comes together.
• On a surface, dusted with flour, take the dough and shape it into a disk. Wrap it in plastic and chill for 30min.
• Roll the dough to about 1/4-inch thick and cut-it-out.
• Place cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until the edges begin to brown.

Tips & Tricks

• To be more efficient, split your dough into two discs.  That way, while one is chilling you can be rolling and cutting and then swap the dough out when it needs to be re-chilled.
• Make rolling dough easier by placing it between two pieces of plastic wrap so that you don't get dough stuck to the rolling pin. 
• Roll the dough thin for these- since you're using 3 cookies per cookie-thing, you don't want to overwhelm the frosting with cookie.  Life is about balance, same goes for cookies.  
• Allow cookies to completely cool off before frosting.

Strawberry Frosting

1 cup fresh strawberries

1 cup butter

1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted, divided (yes, more sugar)

• Put strawberries into a blender and puree until smooth.
• Transfer strawberry puree to a saucepan bringing to a boil over medium heat; stirring often for about 20 minutes (this part is important).  Remove from heat and cool completely (again, important).
• Beat butter with an electric mixer, until light and fluffy.
• Beat 1 cup confectioners' sugar into butter until just blended.
• Beat 2 tbsp strawberry puree and vanilla extract into butter mixture, mix until just blended.
• Repeat with 1 cup confectioners' sugar, followed by 2 tbsp strawberry.  Mix and repeat 2xs.
• Beat last 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar until just blended.

Chocolate Frosting

1 1/3 cups and 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar, sifted

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

3 tablespoons butter

3 1/2 tablespoons evaporated milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• In a medium bowl, sift together the confectioners' sugar and cocoa, then set it aside.
• In a large bowl, cream butter until smooth, then gradually beat in sugar mixture, alternately with evaporated milk.  
• Blend in vanilla beating until light and fluffy.  If you need to, adjust consistency by adding either more milk or sugar.

Tips & Tricks

• When I say sifted, I mean, sifted.  If you don't you'll end up with an ugly (albeit still tasty) frosting.  Trust me.  
• Don't under boil the strawberries for the strawberry frosting- seriously, don't.