Look-A-Like

These past few weeks have been hectic, with various assignment deadlines and pressure to find a summer job.  I had turned 16 last week, which means I am legally capable of taking the G1 driving test !  I hope to move through all the necessary procedures in order to be able to operate a car in no time : )

I've been meaning to make these lovely traditional Russian walnut-shaped cookies for quite some time.  It was quite a bit of work assembling them, but definitely worth the effort !  The madeleine cookies are chewable, while the cream sandwiched in between is rich, sweet, and luscious.  I brought some of these treats to school (as my parents are not always reliable testers) and asked a great friend of mine, Cindy, to taste them. It seemed that she had thoroughly enjoyed them, and she had said that they reminded her of cookies from her childhood.  I can't wait to make these again soon - this time after the end of the Lenten fast so that I could taste them ! ; )



Walnut-Shaped Look-A-Like Beauties

Makes 40-60 cookies
For the dough:
2-3 eggs
1/2 cups sugar
200 g margarine or  200 g butter, softened, room temperature
1/2 tsp baking soda+vinegar

For the filling:
1 can condensed milk
100 g butter, softened, room temperature

1. Place closed can of condensed milk in a large pot and cover generously with water.  Bring to a boil, and simmer for 3 hours, checking every half hour to ensure that water is still covering the can.  Add water to the pot when needed.
2. After the 3 hour mark, remove the can from the water and open.  The condensed milk should have changed colour (white to brown) and developed a thicker consistency than it had had originally.  Dump cream into a bowl and while it is still hot, mix with the butter until all of the butter is incorporated.
3. Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C).
4. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar and add the soda+vinegar solution, then add the margarine.
5. Gradually sieve in flour while mixing the mixture in the bowl, until all of the flour is sieved and the dough becomes thick and elastic.
6. Lightly grease mini madeleine moulds.  Roll dough into small balls, slightly bigger than M&Ms.  Using your finger and/or a small spatula, mould each ball into the mini madeline moulds, making sure that the tops are even and smooth.  The dough should only fill 1/2 to 3/4 of the mould. 
7. Bake for 10-18 minutes and remove from the oven when both the tops and bottoms are slightly golden in appearance. 
8. Assemble by cutting out a small circle in the soft part in the centre of each cookie and stuffing the hole generously with cream.  Couple up each cookie and sandwich both with additional filling.  Let cool for 1-2 hours or overnight until filling develops a more solid consistency before serving.