French Crème Peanut Butter Cookies Food

THE WORLD'S BEST PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Cream together butter, peanut butter, brown sugar and sugar until nice and smooth.
• Add egg and vanilla and beat in well with a spoon.
• Gradually add the self-rising flour. Dough will be stiff.
• Form one inch balls and roll in sugar (I like to toss a dozen of the dough balls into a bag with sugar, shake gently to coat and then leave them in the bag for a couple minutes so a thicker coat of sugar adheres to the dough, then give another light shake before removing them from the bag. But just giving them a quick roll is fine).
• Place sugared dough balls onto an UNGREASED baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Flatten balls with the back of a fork (or if you want flat tops you can flatten them with the bottom of a drinking glass. I usually flatten them with the textured side of my meat cleaver giving the cookies a nice waffle pattern).
• Optional step: You can sprinkle a little extra sugar onto the tops after they are flattened if you like. It adds a little "crunch" to this soft cookie.
• Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges just start to turn brown. Remove from the oven and cool cookies on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to cooling racks.
• Note: While baking one batch of cookies, cover the remaining dough with plastic wrap so it doesn't dry out. I generally form the dough balls for the next batch while the previous batch is cooling on the baking sheet.
• Variation: To give a Christmas touch. Dip the bottom half of the dough balls in regular sugar, then dip the top half of the balls in colored sugar crystals. Then flatten and bake as directed.
• Enjoy!

THE BEST PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Process the peanuts in a food processor until very finely ground; it should be the consistency of almond flour. Whisk together the ground peanuts, flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
• Beat the brown sugar, granulated sugar, peanut butter, eggs, melted butter, honey and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer until completely smooth. Add the dry ingredients and beat on low until a soft dough forms.
• Working with 2 tablespoons of dough at a time (or using a 1-ounce ice cream scoop), roll the dough into balls. Evenly space them on the prepared baking sheets (12 balls per sheet). Sprinkle with the raw sugar.
• Bake the cookies, 1 baking sheet at a time, until the edges are just set and just beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

FRENCH BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Place the whole eggs and yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until the eggs are pale yellow and thick, about 5 minutes. (The eggs will hold an indent made with your finger for a few seconds.)
• Meanwhile, pour the sugar and 1/3 cup water in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and bring to the soft-ball stage, without stirring, 240 degrees F.
• Begin whipping the eggs again on medium-high speed and slowly drizzle in the hot syrup, aiming the syrup between the side of the bowl and the beaters. Continue to whip until both the bottom of the bowl and the mixture are cool, 10 to 15 minutes. The mixture should be thick, but will not form a peak at this point. Beat in the salt.
• While still beating on medium-high, add the butter, a few pieces at a time. As the butter is added, the buttercream may appear to thin out some, but it will thicken into firm peaks once all of the butter is added. Beat in the vanilla extract.
• Use right away or refrigerate in an airtight container overnight. The buttercream may need to be beaten again to smooth out before using.

BOUCHON BAKERY'S 'NUTTER BUTTERS'

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and baking soda; set aside. Using a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and peanut butter. Add sugars and beat at medium speed for 4 minutes, scraping down bowl twice.
• At low speed, add eggs one at a time and vanilla. Add flour mixture and mix at low speed until well combined, scraping down bowl as necessary. Add peanuts and oats, and mix well. Using an ice cream scoop 1½ inches in diameter (about 1 heaping tablespoon), place balls of dough on parchment-lined baking sheets at least 2 ½ inches apart. Bake until cookies have spread and turned golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool and firm up on the baking sheet, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely before filling.
• Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, peanut butter and confectioners' sugar until very smooth.
• To assemble cookies, spread a thin layer (about 1/8 inch) on underside of a cookie. Sandwich with another cookie, being careful not break them. Repeat.

PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• In a large mixing bowl, cream the shortening, 1 cup creamy peanut butter and white and brown sugars. Add vanilla and then eggs, one at a time. Beat well after each addition. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add slowly to creamy mixture.
• Shape into 1 inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Flatten balls with a fork.
• Bake for 7-8 minutes depending on size (I tend to keep a close eye on them and remove them as soon as they start to get golden. This helps to make them chewy.) Cool on wire racks.
• To Make the filling: Combine 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract, and milk in a small bowl adding enough milk to make for a creamy, frosting like texture. Spread frosting on one cookie and top off to make "sandwich".

CLASSIC PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter, peanut butter, and sugars together in a bowl; beat in eggs.
• In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; stir into butter mixture. Put dough in refrigerator for 1 hour.
• Roll dough into 1 inch balls and put on baking sheets. Flatten each ball with a fork, making a crisscross pattern. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F oven for about 10 minutes or until cookies begin to brown.

FRENCH BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In a heavy nonreactive saucepan, add water, then add sugar, corn syrup, and cream of tartar. The last 2 help keep the sugar from crystallizing. (Candy thermometer. Non-negotiable!)
• Put the pot on high heat. It's going to be there for a while. Be patient and keep your eye on it. Don't go walking away and watching TV or something.
• Put yolks and eggs in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and turn to high. Just let it go! Eggs will triple in volume and go to "ribbons stage." You can't overwhip!
• Wait on the sugar-looking for 230°F, aka "soft ball." When it happens, be ready to move quickly. Turn off the mixer and add the xanthan gum, turn back up to medium.
• Remove the thermometer from hot sugar. Lift with two hands. Rest the lip of the saucepan on the edge of the mixer bowl.
• Slowly tilt and pour sugar in a sloooow steady stream down the side of the bowl. Don't go too fast! If you do there will be chunks of scrambled eggs in your buttercream.
• Once sugar is all in, turn the mixer to high. Beat until cool. Gauge this by putting the inside of your wrist to the outside of the bowl. It's more accurate than your hands. Switch out the whisk for the paddle. Next we're adding the butter. It's too heavy for the whisk and you'll end up breaking your stand mixer if you stay with the whisk.
• Start cutting the butter into thin pieces-you could shave it with a cheese slicer if you'd like. Add butter piece by piece-pain in the derriere, yes, but we're making an emulsion.
• See, if you dump all the butter in at once, the butter and eggs will never combine properly, and you'll have a "broken" buttercream. You'll be able to identify this easily-it'll be a chunky, watery, hot mess.
• If your buttercream does break, you can fix it! Turn to medium high, then add a little more butter, piece by piece, until fixed. Or try adding a little guar gum! This is very strong, so add a pinch and beat for a minute, then check.
• Once your butter is added, turn the mixer to medium high to add some air-10, 20 seconds at most. Quelle Magnifique! It should be fluffy and make you want to eat it with your fingers.
• Once you have your base, there's so many ways to flavor it! Coffee powder! Vanilla beans! Dutch cocoa! Peanut butter! Caramel! Ham! Ok, maybe not ham. Party pooper.
• Congratulations! You did it! You made French buttercream! You are a god amongst men!
• Fin

FRENCH CRèME PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, Crisco, & peanut butter. Add powdered sugar & beat until fluffy. Blend in vanilla & egg and beat until creamy. Stir in the flour, soda, salt, & cream of tarter; mix well. Chill for about 30 minutes or so for easier handling. Roll dough into 1-inch balls & place them 2-3 inches apart on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Slightly, flatten each cookie ball with a fork....using a cris-cross pattern. Note: coat a fork with shortening, and then dip the fork in sugar before cris-crossing each cookie so the fork don't stick to the dough. Bake for about 12 minutes. Cool cookies on cookie sheets a bit because these cookies can crumble easily if you don't let them rest. Then... Remove from cookie sheets & cool on racks completely.

PEANUT BUTTER COCONUT CREAM COOKIE SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Make the Peanut Butter Coconut Cream:
• In a high-speed blender, combine the dates, peanut butter, and coconut. Blend together on high speed, gradually adding in the almond milk, ¼ cup at a time (you may not need it all). The mixture should be very creamy. Continue to blend and scrape down the sides of the blender until that smoothness is achieved. Cover and set aside.
• Make the cookies:
• Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, combine the peanut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla. Mix together until smooth.
• In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the oat flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Combine the flour mixture and the peanut butter mixture, and then add the almond milk to help everything come together. The dough should be pliable and easy to roll into balls.
• Create 1- to 2-inch balls of the dough and place them some distance apart on the lined cookie sheet. Flatten the cookies gently with your hands until they are ¼ to ½ inch thick. (You want them fairly thin to create the sandwiches.) Bake for 13 to 15 minutes until the cookies have risen, and are golden around the edges. Then let them cool on the sheet slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Once the cookies are completely cooled, take 2 equal-size cookies and flip them over so the flat side (the bottom) is facing up.
• Spread 1 to 2 tablespoons or more (depending on how thick you want the filling!) of the Peanut Butter Coconut Cream on one of the cookies and place the second cookie, flat side down, right on top of it. Do this for the rest of the batch until all the cookie sandwiches are assembled. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, if desired, before serving.