Beat this Hershey’s cookies and cream!

Awhile back I found a High-Hat recipe on Martha Stewart. I looked into it and so many people said they had problems with it. Maybe it was beginner’s luck… but these maybe just one of my favorites. Again I made them for iteams. I just used Martha’s icing recipe and made my own cake mix. Here it goes!

Cookies & Cream cuppycakes

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbs baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 2/3 cups sugar
• 1 cup milk ( I always use almond milk. Dairy hates me!)
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 3 egg whites
• 1 cup crushed Oreo type cookies (about 11 cookies, cream center included)

For the icing

• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 3 large egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the chocolate coating

• 2 cups chopped (about 12 ounces) semisweet chocolate
• 3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners. I choose to do mini cupcakes. I liked it best this way.I had to make many of them and you will want to as well! They are definitely a favorite!

2. Mix flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in bowl. Stir well.

3. Add milk, butter, and vanilla. Please be proud, I didn’t use an electric mixer! I just stirred and stirred and stirred!! I wanted to be quiet. =) Either way, just make sure you mix it super well, just until its moist.

4. Add egg whites and beat for 2 minutes.

5. Stir in 1 cup of crushed cookies.

6. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. For nearly anything I make, I don’t go by measurements too strictly. Just eyeball it, but when I fill cupcakes, I like to be precise… sooooo I used 1 TBS, making sure to clean out each scoop with my finger. Besides, at the end I get to lick my finger of all that uncooked goodness. I probably eat more of my treats before they are cooked than after!

7. Cook for 18 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove to cool further.

Don’t these just look nice and puffy! We all ate quite a few of these cupcakes just like this. They too were perfect. You could just add vanilla frosting and then add some smashed up Oreos on top, but let’s take this a bit farther!

Directions for frosting

1. In a large heatproof bowl, combine sugar, 1/4 cup water, egg whites, and cream of tartar. I had a small metal pan that I use as a double broiler. I defiantly spilled some over the side… But go to pick it back up since I forgot to add water and just scooped it out of the water it was in!
2. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat on high speed until foamy, about 1 minute.
3. Set bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Beat on high speed until frosting forms stiff peaks, about 12 minutes; frosting should register 160 degrees.on a candy thermometer. Although it says 12 minutes, just do it until you notice it getting very firm. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and beat for 2 minutes more until frosting thickens. I decide that it is finally done when I can pick up the mixer and act like I’m trying to make swirly tops and they stay in place. Sorry for the lack of photos here, but I really had to use all hands around me!
4. Transfer frosting to a large pastry bag fitted with a plain medium sized frosting tip. Pipe rings on top of one another to form a stack.

You could stop here.. but who doesn’t love chocolate!? Okay.. not everyone does, but I sure do! Go ahead and place these on a cookie sheet in the fridge while you clean up and prepare your coating.

Don’t you think they look like Ghosts from Ghostbusters? Or Michelin tire man?

Directions for Coating

1. Combine chocolate and oil in a medium heat-proof bowl set over a medium saucepan of barely simmering water; stir until melted and smooth.

2. Transfer to a small bowl, and let cool about 15 minutes.

3. Holding each cupcake by its bottom, dip cupcake in the chocolate to coat frosting, allowing excess to drip off. Transfer to something for them to drip onto. I sat them on wax paper. Make sure all of the frosting is covered. Let cupcakes stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Place them in the fridge for at least two hours before serving!

Whats the best part about these? When you cut them down the middle!

Whats the best part about these? When you cut them down the middle!