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January 29, 2010

Local chefs cook up Girl Scout cookie concoctions

By Amanda McGregor

Have you tried the Girl Scout shake?

No, it's not the latest dance move sweeping elementary schools. It was one of the unique desserts that local chefs whipped up using Girl Scout cookies as an ingredient.

The Cookie Creations fundraiser was held last Thursday at the Hawthorne Hotel to benefit the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts.

The event included four local chefs: Christopher DeStefano of Christopher's Table in Ipswich, Kelly Delaney of Cakes for Occasions in Danvers, Richard Marino of Chianti Cafe in Beverly and Jennifer Normant of the Hawthorne Hotel in Salem.

Delaney won the judges' hearts with her Thin Mints Chocolate Crunch Cake filled with Fluffy Creamed White Chocolate Thin Mints. The crowd favorite was the Lemon Truffles, which chef Doug Morris of Old Town Bread Company in Rowley made with Lemonades cookies.

Cookie Creations is an annual event, typically held in Boston. This year, it was staged on the North Shore, as well, and drew more than 150 people.

Here are a few of the recipes to sink your teeth into:

Girl Scout Pride Upsidedown Cheesecakes

By Jennifer Normant, Hawthorne Hotel, Salem

Ingredients

1 package Girl Scout Shortbread cookies

4 8-ounce packages softened cream cheese (32 oz. total)

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 eggs

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Pan spray muffin tins and place one Shortbread cookie face side down in each tin.

Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with mixer until well-blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended.

Pour cream cheese mixture over each cookie about three-fourths of the way up. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until almost set. Take out of oven and let cool. Refrigerate for one hour.

Gently turn over muffin pan to release cheesecakes. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 12.

This recipe is easy to change into many varieties, by folding in various toppings with your cream cheese mixture. Examples: pumpkin puree, raspberries, chocolate chips, crunched-up Caramel deLites or Peanut Butter Patties.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

By Christopher DeStefano, Christopher's Table, Ipswich

Ingredients

2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature

11âÑ2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 large eggs

2 cups creamy peanut butter

2 cups ground Peanut Butter Sandwich cookies

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

11âÑ2 teaspoon kosher salt

11âÑ2 cups raspberry jam

2âÑ3 cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.

In bowl with electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until pale yellow. With mixer on low, add vanilla, eggs and peanut butter, and mix until well-combined.

In a small bowl, add flour, ground cookies, baking powder and salt. With mixer on low speed, slowly add flour mixture to peanut butter mixture.

Spread two-thirds of the dough into bottom of prepared pan. Use a knife or press with your hands to spread it evenly. Spread the jam evenly over the dough. Drop small globs of remaining dough evenly over the jam.

It's OK if all jam is not covered, dough will spread while baking. Sprinkle the chopped peanuts and bake for 45 minutes and golden brown. Cool and cut into small squares.

Peanut Butter Milk Shake

By Christopher DeStefano, Christopher's Table, Ipswich

Ingredients

2 cups of crushed Peanut Butter Patties

1 pint vanilla ice cream

1âÑ2 cup whole milk

1 tablespoon sugar (or to taste)

Directions

Puree all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

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