View Large Image Viva Puffs Recipe Cookies Get ingredients: 2 eggs (100 g) (large, room temperature) 5 g (1 tsp) baking powder 320 g (2 1/2 cups) flour (all-purpose) 205 g (1 cup) shortening (room temperature) 3 g (1/2 tsp) salt 300 g (1 1/2 cups) sugar (white, granulated) 4 g (1 tsp) vanilla extract (pure) jam, fudge, or caramel mixing bowl (small) spatula plastic wrap If the eggs are not room temperature, place them in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes. Clear some space in the fridge (for chilling the dough later). Add to small mixing bowl: 320 g (2 1/2 cups) flour 5 g (1 tsp) baking powder 3 g (1/2 tsp) salt Whisk until combined (less than 30 seconds). Set aside. Attach the paddle to the stand mixer. Add to stand mixer bowl: 205 g (1 cup) shortening (chopped into about 8 pieces) 300 g (1 1/2 cups) sugar Mix on high speed until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add to stand mixer bowl: 2 eggs (100 g) 4 g (1 tsp) vanilla extract Mix on medium speed until just combined (about 30 seconds). Set stand mixer to low speed. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the stand mixer bowl. Mix on low speed until a smooth, soft dough forms (about 2-3 minutes). Do not over-mix. Using your hands, separate the dough into 2 pieces. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap. Cut a piece of plastic wrap (about 2 feet long). Lay the plastic wrap on a flat surface. Using your hands, take half the dough and roll it into a cylinder/log shape. Place the dough on top of the plastic wrap. Using your hands, flatten the dough slightly into an elongated disc shape. Wrap the plastic wrap around the edges of the dough until the dough is covered. Repeat with the remaining dough. Chill the wrapped dough in the fridge for 30 minutes. Get tools: flour baking trays round cookie cutter (4-cm diameter) (or round cup/glass/lid) pastry brush rolling pin parchment paper or silicone mats Line the baking trays with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Set aside. Ensure the work surface is clean and dry. Set the oven to bake, 350° F (177° C). Ensure the oven rack is in the middle position. Prepare a lightly floured surface for rolling the dough. Unwrap the dough, but leave the plastic wrap on top. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Remove the plastic wrap on top of the dough. Cut out the cookies: Dip the bottom of the cookie cutter in flour. Press the cookie cutter down into the dough firmly. Try not to wiggle the cookie cutter too much, because it will distort the shape. Lift the cookie cutter out of the dough. If the dough sticks to the cookie cutter, push the dough out using a butter knife. Place the cookie on the baking tray. You should be able to fit 15 cookies per 13"×9" quarter sheet baking tray (3 rows by 5 columns). Using a pastry brush, brush any excess flour off the cookies. Chill the cookies on the baking tray in the freezer for at least 15 minutes. Bake for 7-10 minutes (or until the edges are lightly browned). Let cool at room temperature on the baking tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Jam After the cookies have cooled completely, add a dollop of filling (about 1/2 - 1 tsp) to the centre of each cookie. For example, you can use raspberry or strawberry jam, caramel, or fudge. (Cherry jam was not very good.) If the jam contains seeds, strain it using a small strainer. Pour some jam into a ziploc bag. Cut off a tiny corner of the bag. Squeeze a dollop of jam onto the centre of each cookie. Marshmallow Get ingredients: 85 g (1/4 cup) + 85 g (1/4 cup) corn syrup (light) 14 g (2 packets) gelatin (powdered, unflavoured) 1 g (1/8 tsp) salt 150 g (3/4 cups) sugar (white, granulated) 8 g (2 tsp) vanilla extract (pure) stand mixer thermometer saucepan (small, 1 litre) 2 piping bags (large) 1/2-inch round piping tips (eg. Wilton 1A) (or no tips) spatula Fit the piping bags with the piping tips. Set aside. Add some water (any temperature) to a small bowl and place near the cookies, along with a dish towel (this will be used to smooth out the marshmallows later). Set aside. Add to small bowl: 119 g (1/2 cup) cold water 14 g (2 packets) gelatin Stir with a fork or spoon until all the gelatin is wet (about 15 seconds). Let rest at room temperature for 5 minutes, then melt the gelatin mixture in the microwave (until the gelatin granules have dissolved and the mixture is fairly clear). Set aside. Add to saucepan: 85 g (1/4 cup) corn syrup 59 g (1/4 cup) water (any temperature) 1 g (1/8 tsp) salt 150 g (3/4 cups) sugar Stir with a spatula until combined (about 30 seconds). Set aside. Attach the whisk to the stand mixer. Add to stand mixer bowl: gelatin mixture 85 g (1/4 cup) corn syrup Set stand mixer to low speed. Set aside. Place the saucepan on the stove. Set heat to medium-high. Using a spatula, stir constantly until it comes to a boil (about 4 minutes). After it comes to a boil, stop stirring. Boil until the mixture reaches 240° F (116° C). Turn off the heat. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Set stand mixer to medium speed. Slowly pour the hot syrup in a steady, small stream into the stand mixer bowl. Set stand mixer to medium-high speed. Mix for 5 minutes. Set stand mixer to high speed. Mix for 4.5 minutes. Add to stand mixer bowl: 8 g (2 tsp) vanilla extract Mix for 30 seconds. Using a spatula, immediately scoop the marshmallow into the piping bag (before the marshmallow begins to set). Pipe the marshmallow onto each cookie in a spiral, starting from the outside and ending in the middle. Do not only pipe in the middle, like with a macaron, or the jam will leak out. To smooth the bumps on the top, dip your finger in the bowl of water and smooth the top out. Don't be stingy with the water; you can smooth the top quite a bit if you do it quickly. Let cool on the wire rack at room temperature for 45-60 minutes. Chocolate The chocolate should actually be tempered, but I haven't figured out how to do that yet. Get ingredients: 213 g (1 1/4 cups) chocolate (dark, 70-99% cacao) 55 g (1/4 cup) coconut oil mini crock pot spatula Plug in mini crock pot. Add to mini crock pot: 55 g (1/4 cup) coconut oil 213 g (1 1/4 cups) chocolate Using a spatula, stir occasionally until smooth. Keep the crock pot plugged in. Place a wire rack on top of a baking tray nearby. For each cookie: Place the cookie in the chocolate (to coat the bottom of the cookie). Using a spoon, drizzle chocolate over the cookie until it is covered. Using two spoons, return the cookie to the wire rack. Place the baking tray and wire rack with the cookies in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
