Classic Moonpies Food

CLASSIC MOONPIES

Steps:

• Make the marshmallows:
• Brush the bottom and sides of a 15- by 10-inch jelly roll pan with vegetable oil. Using a fine-mesh sieve, dust the bottom and sides of the pan with 1/4 cup of the sifted confectioners' sugar, leaving any excess in the pan.
• Place 6 tablespoons of the cold water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Sprinkle the gelatin into the bowl and whisk briefly to make sure all the gelatin is in contact with water. Let soften while you make the sugar syrup.
• In a heavy, small saucepan, whisk together the granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt, and the remaining 6 tablespoons cold water. Place over moderate heat and bring to a full boil (the mixture will become clear), stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Put a candy thermometer into the boiling sugar syrup and continue boiling, without stirring, for 5 minutes, then increase the heat to moderately high and continue boiling, without stirring, until the thermometer registers 240°F (soft-ball stage), about 5 more minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let stand until the bubbles dissipate slightly.
• With the mixer on low, pour the sugar syrup into the softened gelatin in a thin stream down the side of the bowl. Gradually increase the mixer speed to high and beat until the marshmallow forms a very thick ribbon when the whisk is lifted (the marshmallow will still be slightly warm), about 5 minutes.
• Scrape the marshmallow into the prepared pan (it will be very sticky) and use wet fingertips to spread it evenly; smooth the top with a wet offset spatula. Dust the remaining 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar over the top of the marshmallows, then cover the pan with plastic wrap, being careful not to let the plastic wrap touch the marshmallow as they will stick together. Set the marshmallow aside to firm up, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Once the marshmallows are firm, use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut out 12 marshmallow circles-you will need to cut the marshmallows very close together so there are very few scraps. Dust the marshmallows with additional confectioners' sugar to prevent sticking DO AHEAD: Marshmallows can be stored, layered between sheets of wax or parchment paper, in an airtight container in a dry place at cool room temperature, for 1 week.
• Make the graham crackers:
• Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and a second rack in the lower third then preheat to 350°F.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, pastry flour, wheat germ, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the cane syrup and honey and beat until well combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixer bowl then reduce the mixer speed to medium-low, add the flour mixture, and blend just until no streaks of flour remain, 1 to 2 minutes-the mixture will be a little crumbly.
• Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Place 1 half on a large sheet of parchment paper then cover with a second large piece of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough, between the sheets of parchment paper, to a 1/8-inch thickness. Remove the top layer of parchment and use a 2 1/2 to 2 3/4-inch round cookie cutter to press as many circles into the dough as possible. Use a small offset spatula to transfer the graham crackers to a large rimmed baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between them then re-roll and cut any scraps of dough to make more circles. Repeat this process with the remaining portion of dough.
• Bake the graham crackers, switching the baking pans between the upper and lower racks and rotating the pans about halfway through baking, until the graham crackers are firm around the edges and golden, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer the graham crackers to a wire rack to let cool completely. DO AHEAD: Graham crackers can be baked ahead and kept, stored in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 1 week.
• Melt the chocolate and assemble the moonpies:
• Sandwich 2 graham crackers around 1 marshmallow then repeat with the remaining graham crackers and marshmallows until you have 12 moon pie "sandwiches." (There may be a few leftover graham crackers.)
• Coat a wire rack with nonstick vegetable oil spray and set it on top of a parchment paper- lined large rimmed baking sheet.
• Place about 2/3 of the chocolate in a dry metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water and stir until melted and warm, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining chocolate to the bowl and remove the bowl from the top of the pot. Let cool 5 minutes then stir until smooth. Stir in the coconut oil until incorporated thoroughly.
• Hold 1 moonpie "sandwich" firmly in 1 hand and roll the sides through the melted chocolate, making sure the sides are completely coated so you don't see any marshmallow peeking through. Hold the moonpie over the bowl of chocolate and use a small spoon to pour and swirl chocolate over the top; invert onto the rack and coat the other side in chocolate. Repeat with the remaining graham cracker-marshmallow "sandwiches." Transfer the chocolate-dipped moonpies to a cool place to let the chocolate coating harden for 1 to 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Moonpies can be made ahead and kept, layered between sheets of parchment paper in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 5 days.

MOON PIES

Steps:

• For the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Whisk together the graham crumbs, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. In another large bowl, beat the sugar and butter with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and egg and beat to combine. Add the graham mixture and beat to incorporate. Knead with your hands to bring the dough together into a ball.
• Flatten the dough into a disk, place it on a piece of parchment paper and roll with a rolling pin into an 11-inch circle, about 1/4 inch thick. Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut out 8 cookies. Reroll the scraps to 1/4 inch and cut out 2 more cookies. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheet. Discard the dough scraps.
• Bake the cookies until the undersides are golden brown and the tops are just set, 9 to 10 minutes. Cool completely on a rack.
• Put about 2 tablespoons of marshmallow creme in the center of a cookie (do not spread) and top with a second cookie to make a sandwich. The creme will ooze to fill the sandwich as it sits. Repeat with the remaining cookies, then freeze until the creme is firm, about 20 minutes.
• For the glaze: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a cooling rack on top. Line a second baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly oil the paper.
• Put the chocolate candy coating in a heatsafe bowl (the smallest, deepest bowl it can fit in without surpassing the rim). Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes.
• Submerge a cookie sandwich in the melted chocolate and pull it out using 2 forks, letting the excess drip off. Transfer to the prepared cooling rack and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Transfer to the oiled parchment on the second baking sheet to set. Repeat with the remaining cookie sandwiches.

MOON PIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. In a small bowl, stir together the cocoa and boiling water. Let cool for 5 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, cream together 1/2 cup shortening and white sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time then stir in the vanilla extract and cocoa mixture. Combine 2 2/3 cups flour with baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir into the sugar mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Drop by rounded tablespoons 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm. To make the filling: In a small saucepan, stir together remaining flour and pinch of salt. Gradually whisk in the milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thick, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and refrigerate. In a medium bowl, cream together 3/4 cup of shortening and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add the vanilla and the milk mixture and beat until fluffy. Sandwich filling between cookies.

COPYCAT MOON PIES

Steps:

• Prepare the graham cracker cookies: whisk together whole wheat and all-purpose flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl until well combined. Whisk together honey, oil, eggs, and milk in a medium bowl until well combined. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, and gently stir together until a coarse dough begins to develop.
• Pour dough out onto a work surface lightly dusted with all-purpose flour and knead until dough becomes smooth, shiny, and slightly tacky, about 2 minutes. Divide dough into 2 even balls and shape into disks. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven. Line 2 rimmed sheet pans with parchment paper.
• Working with one dough disk at a time on a surface lightly dusted with all-purpose flour, roll each disk into a 16x12-inch rectangle, about 1/8-inch thick. Cut twelve 3 1/2-inch circles out of each dough rectangle. Transfer circles to the prepared sheet pans spaced 1 inch apart from each other.
• Bake cookies in the preheated oven until fragrant and slightly firm, 12 to 14 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheet pans for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Prepare the marshmallow: Combine gelatin and 1/2 cup water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Allow gelatin to bloom, undisturbed, until thickened, about 15 minutes.
• While the gelatin is blooming, combine remaining 1/2 cup water with sugar, corn syrup, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, without stirring, over medium heat. Boil sugar mixture, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 240 degrees F (116 degrees C), about 10 minutes.
• Add vanilla to bloomed gelatin; beat on medium speed until completely incorporated, about 1 minute. Leave mixer on medium and carefully add hot sugar mixture until combined, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to high and beat until mixture is thick, sticky, and quadrupled in volume, about 10 minutes. Immediately transfer 1/2 of marshmallow mixture to a piping bag; reserve remaining marshmallow for another use.
• Arrange 12 cooled cookies upside down on a clean work surface. Cut a tip off the piping bag, leaving a 1/2-inch hole, and quickly and carefully pipe a 2 tablespoon circular mound of marshmallow in the center of each cookie. Top with remaining cookies and gently press down until marshmallow is spread about 1/4 inch from the edges. Allow cookie sandwiches to sit out at room temperature, uncovered, until marshmallow filling is set and slightly firm, at least 1 hour or up to (but not exceeding) 4 hours.
• Prepare the glaze: fill a medium pot with 1 inch water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low. Place 28 ounces chocolate in a large heat-proof bowl and place on top of the pot with steaming water. Stir chocolate slowly until completely melted and smooth, about 5 minutes. Continue stirring until a thermometer registers 115 degrees F (46 degrees C), about 5 minutes. Remove bowl from the pot and set on a lightly damp kitchen towel to prevent the bowl from sliding. Allow chocolate to cool, stirring constantly, until a thermometer registers 90 degrees F (32 degrees C), about 5 minutes.
• Add remaining chocolate to the melted chocolate. Stir until completely melted and smooth, placing it back over steaming water briefly, if necessary, about 5 minutes.
• Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Working quickly, cleanly, and with one at a time, dip each cookie sandwich into the melted chocolate until completely coated, allowing excess chocolate to drain back into the bowl. Scrape the bottom of each along rim of bowl to remove any excess glaze. Place on the prepared sheet pan and smooth the top with a small offset spatula. Repeat to coat remaining cookies. Transfer to the refrigerator to cool until chocolate is set and firm, about 10 minutes. Allow cookies to rest at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap, until completely set, about 30 minutes.