How do you enjoy your Oreo?

Let me start by saying Oreo has truly perfected the taste of these sandwich cookies! The chocolate wafer is in fact salty (if you noticed) while the sweetness exude only from the white creamy filling. My first batch was sweet wafers plus sweet fillings and that presented a single dimension in taste, just sweet (duh) and forgettable. On the second batch of the wafers, without tweaking the dough, I piped cream cheese filling instead and it was true love. It created an element of surprise that also balances out the sweetness, making it quite frankly, a far more memorable cookie!

As Japan slowly tiptoe back to normalcy, business travel between countries has also resumed. This batch of Oreos were made for special hand delivery to the folks at Tokyo office. Just like Peggy said hopefully, for a spot of sunshine :)

To Japan with ♥

Ingredients

Chocolate Wafer

1¼ cup plain flour (or all-purpose)
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1½ cup caster sugar
½ cup and 2 tsb (142g) unsalted butter
1 large egg

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Directions

Preheat oven to 190°C and line baking tray with baking sheet
Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar until well combined
Add butter and followed by an egg slowly into the batter until it forms a soft dough
Use a rounded teaspoon to scoop the dough onto the baking sheet and use a flat-bottomed glass to flatten the dough. To ensure that every piece is of the same size, use a round cookie cutter to set the consistent shape
Bake the wafers for 8-10 minutes and set the baking sheets on a rack to cool
Pair up the wafers of the same size and set aside

Cream Cheese Filling

¼ cup unsalted butter
¼ cup cream cheese (or vegetable shortening for a sweet filling)
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 vanilla pod (or 2 tsp vanilla extract), scraped

Adapted from Cupcake Project

Directions

Place butter and cream cheese in a bowl and beat on low speed
Add powdered sugar gradually and scraped in vanilla beans
Turn the mixer up high and beat for 2-3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy

To assemble the cookies, fill the cream in a pastry bag and pipe the cream in circular over the flip-side of a wafer. Lightly press another piece of wafer over it and work the same until all the cookies are done!

I may have failed in a lot (a lot!) of baking attempts but I'm proud to report that the "easiness" of these cookies had me shinning with pride from the first tray fresh off the oven! Do try both the fillings to work our your preference :) Happy baking!

Dunk generously in a glass of milk!

Homemade Oreos