Brussels Cookies, just for fun

Recipe by The View From the Great Island

These Copy Cat Pepperidge Farm Brussels Cookies  are dead ringers for the originals…they take a bit of effort, but the result is well worth it! You might already know that I have an obsession with the Pepperidge Farm treats from my childhood.  Have you tried my Cold Chocolate Snacking Cake?  I nailed that recipe just like I nailed these cookies…they aren’t difficult to make, but they are delicate and time consuming.  You bake them by teeny weeny 1/4 teaspoonfuls, and only 6 or so at a time.  Let’s just say they are a labor of love.  There is no definitive copy-cat recipe online, so I had to do some sleuthing.  I tried 3 versions and came up with the best.  So you’re lucky… I  fell into all the pitfalls so you don’t have to. One thing that makes this process fun is that Brussels are a fairly unusual cookie.  They almost have a praline type of texture, minus the nuts, of course.  That paired with the dark chocolate center layer makes them very sophisticated. I was surprised to read these cookies have been made since the 1950s, when Pepperidge Farm founder Margaret Rudkin discovered a local bakery on a visit …

Ingredients

• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• ½ cup white sugar
• ½ cup rolled oats, finely ground (use your mini processor)
• 2 tbsp light corn syrup
• ⅓ cup melted shortening
• 2 tbsp cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 12 oz semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

Method

1. Set oven to 375F
2. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat, this is important.
3. Mix all the ingredients together and blend the dough well.
4. Using 1/4 teaspoon as a measure make small balls and place them on the silpat lined baking sheet, a couple of inches apart.. Bake for for 5 minutes until they are golden around. Let stand a few seconds before removing from pan to a cooling rack. You'll need a very thin spatula to do this. The cookies harden as they cool.
5. When the cookies are completely cool, flip them over and match them up in pairs. Lay them out on a piece of waxed paper.
6. Put the chocolate in a glass measuring cup and heat in short bursts in the microwave, stirring in between until just melted.
7. Spread a small amount of chocolate onto the bottom cookie, and then top it with another. You can use a small spoon and spreading knife, but do it very gently as the cookies shatter easily. Let the cookies sit to harden, or put them in the refrigerator. Once they are filled and chilled, they will be a little more sturdy In fact they taste great straight from the fridge.