RECIPE #40 & #41: Moon Pies & Homemade Marshmallow Cream

While we were up at the cabin, we roasted marshmallows & made S'mores while playing games together. I'm not a huge fan of S'mores because I don't really like graham crackers (I already know I'm strange, you don't have to rub it in :O) but I do love chocolate and marshmallows. I've been itching to make homemade moon pies. So here we go...

Moon Pies

Makes: 15 large or 24 small

1/2 C softened butter

1 C sugar

1 egg

1 C evaporated milk

1 t vanilla

2 C flour

1/2 t salt

1/2 C unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t baking powder

1/2 C softened butter

1 C powdered sugar

1/2 t vanilla

1 C marshmallow cream (recipe below)

Cookies:

Cream together 1/2 C butter & white sugar. Add egg, milk & vanilla; mix well. In a separate bowl. mix together flour, salt, cocoa, soda & baking powder. Add flour mixture slowly to sugar mixture while stirring. Mix just until all ingredients are combined. Drop the dough onto greased cookie sheet or pizza stone by rounded tablespoonfuls (large) or teaspoonfuls (small). Leave at least 3 inches in between each one; dough will spread when baked. Bake in preheated oven of 400 degrees for 6 to 12 minutes until firm when pressed with finger. Allow to cool at lease one hour before filling.

Filling:

Blend together 1/2 C butter, powdered sugar, vanilla & marshmallow cream. Mix until smooth. Assemble pies by spreading 1 to 2 T of filling on flat side of cookie crust, then covering filling with flat side of another cookie crust.

Marshmallow Cream

3 egg whites, room temp

2 C light corn syrup

1/2 t salt

2 C sifted powdered sugar

1 T vanilla

Mix egg whites, syrup & salt with electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes or until thick and volume has doubled. Reminder: If there's any, and I mean ANY egg yolk or shell in the egg whites, they will not form.

Then turn to low speed; add powdered sugar & mix well. Add vanilla. Refrigerate in Tupperware container for up to 2 weeks.