Hostess Twinkie Creme Filling

Recently I've had an opportunity to go back and improve the recipe for the Hostess Twinkie clone. Specifically, I wanted to make the creme filling more stable, using non-dairy ingredients, so that it could not spoil and would be easier to make. Here now, is the much improved recipe, using fewer ingredients than the original clone, and with marshmallow creme as the new secret component.

This recipe is for all of you who have supported the site by buying the books, since the cake part of the recipe and mold-making technique is not included here. But even if you don't have the books, I'm sure you can find many uses for this versatile, commercial-style, creme filling. Hope you like it!

2 teaspoons very hot waterrounded

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups marshmallow creme (1 7-ounce jar)

1/2 cup shortening

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1. Combine the salt with the hot water in a small bowl and stir until salt is dissolved. Let this mixture cool.

2. Combine the marshmallow creme, shortening, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl and mix well with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy.

3. Add the salt solution to the filling mixture and combine.

Makes 1 1/2 cups.

GrandMa's Oatmeal Raisin Big Cookies

GrandMa's Cookie Company was founded back in 1914 by Foster Wheeler, but it wasn't until 1977 that the company introduced the popular Big Cookie. This large, soft cookie comes two to a pack and is offered in several varieties, including oatmeal raisin.

Now you can bake up a couple batches all your own with this spiffy kitchen clone. Just be sure not to overdo it in the oven. You want these cookies soft and chewy when cool - just like a happy grandma would make 'em -- so take them out when they are just beginning to turn light brown around the edges.

Recipe Ingredient
1/2 cup raisins

1/3 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1 egg

1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups oats (not instant)

2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

2. Combine 1/2 cup raisins with water in a food processor and blend on high speed for about 1 minute or until very smooth.

3. Combine this raisin puree with the vegetable shortening, egg, brown sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Mix well with electric mixer until smooth.

4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour with the oats, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Pour this dry mixture into the wet mixture and mix well until ingredients are incorporated. Mix in 1/2 cup raisins.

5. Roll 3 tablespoon-size portions of the dough into a ball in your hands and press to 1/2-inch flat on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Be careful not to overcook, or the cookies will not be chewy. Store in a sealed container.

Makes 16 to 18 cookies.

Girl Scout Cookies Thin Mints

If those cute little cookie peddlers aren't posted outside the market, it may be tough to get your hands on these - the most popular cookies sold by the Girl Scouts each year. One out of every four boxes of cookies sold by the girls is Thin Mints.

This recipe uses an improved version of the chocolate wafers created for the Oreo cookie clone in the second TSR book "More Top Secret Recipes." That recipe creates 108 cookie wafers, so when you're done dipping, you'll have the equivalent of three boxes of the Girl Scout Cookies favorite. (See? That's why you bought those extra cookie sheets.)

You could, of course, reduce the recipe by baking only 1/3 of the cookie dough for the wafers and then reducing the coating ingredients by 1/3, giving you a total of 36 cookies. But that may not be enough to last you until next spring.

Chocolate Cookie Wafers

1 18.25-ounce package Betty Crocker chocolate fudge cake mix

3 tablespoons shortening, melted

1/2 cup cake flour, measured then sifted

1 egg

3 tablespoons water

Non-stick cooking spray

Coating

3 12-ounce bags semi-sweet chocolate chips

3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

6 tablespoons shortening

1. Combine the cookie ingredients in a large bowl, adding the water a little bit at a time until the dough forms. Cover and chill for 2 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out a portion of the dough to just under 1/16 of an inch thick. To cut, use a lid from a spice container with a 1 1/2-inch diameter (Schilling brand is good.) Arrange the cut dough rounds on a cookie sheet that is sprayed with a light coating on non-stick spray. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the wafers from the oven and cool completely.

4. Combine chocolate chips with peppermint extract and shortening in a large microwave - safe glass or ceramic bow. Heat on 50 percent power for 2 minutes, stir gently, then heat for an addition minute. Stir once again, and if chocolate is not a smooth consistency, continue to zap in microwave in 30-second intervals until smooth.

5. Use a fork to dip each wafer in the chocolate, tap the fork on the edge of the bowl so that the excell chocolate runs off, and then place the cookies side-by-side on a wax paper - lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm.

Makes 108 cookies.

Girl Scout Cookies Shortbread

Since they only sell these once a year, right around springtime, you're bound to get a craving sometime around fall. And if you're still holding onto a box, they may have begunto taste a bit like used air-hockey pucks. Now you can toss out those relics and fill the box with a fresh batch, made from this clone recipe for the first variety of cookies sold by the Girl Scouts back in 1917.

Recipe Ingredient
1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons beaten egg

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons buttermilk

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (plus an extra 1/4 cup reserved for rolling)

1/8 teaspoon baking powder

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the shortening, sugar, vanilla, and salt with an electric mixer.

2. Add the egg and beat mixture until it's fluffy. Add the baking soda and mix for about 20 seconds, then add the buttermilk and mix for an additional 30 seconds.

3. In another bowl, combine the flour and baking powder.

4. Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix well with an electric mixer until flour is incorporated.

5. Roll the dough into a ball, cover it with plastic wrap, and chill it for 1 hour.

6. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

7. Roll dough out on a well-floured surface to 1/8-inch thick and punch out cookies with a 1 1/2 to 2-inch cutter (a medium-size spice bottle lid works well). Arrange cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet.

8. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 60 cookies.

El Torito Sweet Corn Cake

Recipe By : El Torito Restaurant, California
Serving Size : 12
Preparation Time :0:30
Categories : Breads Mexican

Recipe Ingredient
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 tablespoons shortening
1/2 cup masa harina
3 tablespoons cold water
10 ounces corn kernels
3 tablespoons cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

My favorite, and well worth the effort. Masa harina comes in a bag like flour and can be found with the flour in most supermarkets. It's the flour to use for corn tortillas. The recipe doubles easily and turns out well with either of the two methods provided. Ann Weeks, Corona Method two is the moist scoop we usually get at the restaurant. lace butter and shortening in mixer bowl and whip until soft; continue whipping until fluffy and creamy. Add masa gradually while mixing; add water gradually and mix thoroughly.
Place corn kernels in blender or food processor fitted with metal blade; coarsely chop. Stir into the masa harina. Place (regular) cornmeal, sugar, whipping cream, baking powder and salt in large mixing bowl; mix quickly. Add masa mixture and mix lightly, just until blended. Pour into greased8-inch-square baking pan. Cover with foil.

Method 1: Bake in 350-degree oven 40 to 50 minutes or until corn cake has a firm texture.
Method 2: Place pan in a larger pan and pour boiling water half way up corncake pan. Bake at 350 degrees 40 to 50 minutes, checking water level and adding more boiling water, if necessary. When cooked through, remove corncake pan from water.
Let cooked cake stand at room temperature for few minutes before cuttinginto squares or using a small ice cream scoop to serve.
Makes 10 to 12 small servings. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.