Melting Moments - #CreativeCookieExchange

Melting Moments how do I love thee, let me count the ways - melt-in-your-mouth, buttery, rich crumbs that shatter on the first bite, sweet vanilla buttercream, tart raspberry jam.  This cookie is definitely a match made in heaven, and that is why I choose it as my first post for the Creative Cookie Exchange.

The Creative Cookie Exchange was established by Laura (The Spiced Life) and Rebecka (At Home with Rebecka), with the idea that we will all have fun baking cookies together. Each month an ingredient or theme will be selected and then we will all be baking some amazing cookies and sharing them with you on our blogs.

The theme selected for this month is Back to School.  Whether it is a cookie that I have packed in their lunch boxes, or a special after school treat I just love making cookies for my girls.  They are in high school now, and have very busy schedules, but I just love the idea that I have sent them to school with a little treat that will remind them that I am thinking about them.  It is also a lot of fun to make a double batch and send the cookies to school for them to share with their friends (and it removes the temptation from me ;)).

The Melting Moment is a cookie that is very popular in Australia, where you will find them in grocery stores, cake shops, and cafes.  There appears to be two schools of thought with regards to the addition of jam, with some people stating that if you add jam it is actually called a Monte Carlo.  I saw this cookie being made on MasterChef Australia (which in my opinion is far superior to the format of the US MasterChef - the contestants are much nicer to one another and the judges more supportive) and I decided to add the raspberry jam as per the recipe, and I am glad that I did.

The only change I made to the original recipe (besides converting it from metric to imperial) was to make the cookies a bit smaller, although after sandwiching them together, I realized that I should have flattened them just a little more because they tended to roll around the plate. Next time I would flatten half of the cookies, and use a fork to indent the rest.  Also, I choose to make the raspberry jam, but you could certainly use store-bought, or even change the flavor if you wanted.  The recipe for the jam does produce more than enough to fill the cookies, so if you do not want leftovers, cut this in half. The recipe made about individual 22 cookies, so 11 when sandwiched together.

Melting Moments
(Printer Friendly Recipe)

Ingredients
Biscuits ~

• ¾ cup butter (1½ sticks)
• ½ cup powdered sugar, sifted
• ½ cup custard powder (or cornstarch)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• powdered sugar, to serve

Vanilla Buttercream ~

• 7 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Raspberry Jam ~

• 2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
• 1¼ cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon gelatin powder

Preparation
Biscuits ~

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line two oven trays with Silpats or parchment paper.
2. In the bowl of an an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter for two minutes.
3. Add powdered sugar and custard powder (or cornstarch) and mix until combined. 
4. Sift the baking powder and flour together then add to the dough and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beaters as needed. 
5. Roll dough into 1 tablespoon-size balls, place on a baking paper lined baking tray and press each ball with a fork to leave an indent. 
6. Bake biscuits for 14 minutes or until light golden. 
7. Stand on trays 5 minutes to cool then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Make buttercream and jam while waiting for the cookies to cool.
9. Place a spoonful of cooled jam on the base of half the biscuits. 
10. Pipe buttercream in a circle onto the base of the other half of the biscuits. Gently press one of each biscuit together to form a melting moment.
11. Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Vanilla Buttercream ~

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer add butter and vanilla paste and mix until smooth. 
2. Add powdered sugar and beat until mixture forms a paste, the consistency of thick icing. 
3. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a small star nozzle.

Raspberry Jam ~

1. Place raspberries, sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook for 20-30 minutes on medium heat until thickened. 
2. Mix gelatin powder with one tablespoon cold water together. 
3. Remove the jam from the heat, stir through gelatin mixture. 
4. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and cool in the fridge.

Recipe from MasterChef Australia

Here's how you can be part of the Creative Cookie Exchange:

• Write a blog post with recipe and original photo (please include some language here specific to that month's theme). We would like the recipe to be one you’re making for the first time, and photos must be original.
• Post the Cookie Exchange badge somewhere on your blog so others can join in the fun ~

<center> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Creative-Cookie-Exchange-hosted-by-The-Spiced-Life-and-At-Home-with-Rebecka/148873331987243" target="_blank"><img alt="Creative Cookie Exchange" src="http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy124/BiteMySweetTarts/3329aec3-6749-4ab7-8af953332dfb9487_zps437070c3.jpg"/></a></center>

• Make a good faith effort to visit and comment on the other cookies in the Linky party. We alllove cookies so that should be easy!
• LIKE the Creative Cookie Exchange Facebook Page.
• FOLLOW the Creative Cookie Exchange Pinterest Board.
• LINK your blog post below using the Linky tool.

You can also just use us as a great resource for cookie recipes - be sure to check out our Facebook page, our Pinterest Board, and our monthly posts. You will be able to find them the first Tuesday after the 15th of each month! Also, if you are looking for inspiration for this month's theme, check out what all of the hosting bloggers have made so far ~

Pecan Chocolate Bars by Laura at The Spiced Life

Chocolate Chip Skillet Brownies by Rebecka at At Home with Rebecka

Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip by Stacy at Food Lust People Love

White Chocolate Oat Cookies by Renee at Magnolia Days

Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Cookies by Becca at It's Yummilicious

Fortune Cookies by Holly at A Baker's House

Whole Wheat Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies by Karen at Karen's Kitchen Stories

Orange Cookies by Kathya at Basic N Delicious

Melting Moments by Felice at All That's Left Are The Crumbs

Pumpkin Oatmeal Pecan Cookies by Sophie at If I Ever Owned A Bakery...

Peanut Butter No-Bakes by Miranda at Cookie Dough and Oven Mitt

Banana Apple (Banapple) Spice Cookies by Kim at Liv Life