Milk and Cereal, for Tara
Tara will forgive me, I hope. It has taken me well and above what anyone would politely consider a reasonable gap between promise and deliverance of this recipe. If it’s any consolation, I blame the cookie’s deliciousness. It took several batches before I finally managed to hang on to a single cookie long enough to take a picture of it.
This milk and cereal cookie combines my favourite components from two Momofuku Milk Bar cookies : the chewiness factor from the cornflake cookie, and the milky richness of the blueberry and cream cookie.
The main revelation for me, apart from the wonderment of the milk crumble (which I imagine could form an interesting garnish for a ‘peaches and cream’ dessert), was the use of glucose in the cookie dough which made it crazily, amazingly and rather giddy-headedly, chewy. I have taken out some of the sugar from the original recipe, and am happy with the sweetness level it now stands at. If you like, you can omit a bit more caster sugar and the cookie will still be pretty chewy. Bear in mind however, that every gram you remove from the recipe, is one less gram of fun that you’re sucking out of the cookie!
Milk and Cereal Cookies :
(based on a combination of recipes by Christina Tosi of Momofuku Milk Bar)
312g plain flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
226g unsalted butter
100g caster sugar
100g light brown sugar
100g glucose
1 large egg
40g cornflakes, crushed
70g milk crumbs (recipe below)
50g dried cranberries or dried blueberries (optional)
Line two baking sheets with baking paper; set aside.
In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and both the sugars. Add the glucose and mix until well combined. Add the egg, mixing to combine, then fold in the flour mixture, followed by the cornflakes, milk crumbs and dried berries (if using).
Using an ice-cream scoop about 2 1/8 inch in diameter, scoop dough into balls and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Preheat the oven to 190’C. Transfer baking sheets to refrigerator until dough is chilled, about 15 minutes. [Note: You can bake them straight away instead of chilling, if you can’t wait. The resulting cookies will be slightly flatter] Transfer baking sheets to oven and bake, rotating pans halfway through baking, until cookies are golden brown and tops begin to crackle, about 15 minutes.
Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.
Milk crumbs :
(This makes more than you need, but the crumbs are a delicious addition to other things, such as muffins)
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon skim milk powder
2 tablespoons plain flour
1 tablespoon cornflour
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
20g unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup white chocolate buttons, melted
Preheat the oven to 110’C. Line a baking sheet with baking paper; set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons milk powder, flour, cornflour, sugar and salt. Stir in the melted butter until well combined. Spread mixture on prepared baking sheet. Bake until dried and crumbly, about 12 minutes. Remove milk crumble from oven and let cool completely.
Transfer milk crumble to a large bowl and fold in remaining 2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoon milk powder and melted white chocolate. Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container and keep refrigerated until ready to use.
Tags: cookies, cranberry, crumble, white chocolate
Inner Pickle said,
February 24, 2010 @ 9:05 pm
Hooray this looks FANTASTIC! Have to try these mainly to try out your milk crumbs, all news to me. Chewy cookies are my heroes. xxx
Manggy said,
February 24, 2010 @ 10:12 pm
Ooh, I think these cookies will definitely be worth the wait of chilling (me no like flat cookies). Momofuku is just everywhere, I bet you can’t wait for the Milk Bar cookbook too! 😉
Reemski said,
February 24, 2010 @ 11:11 pm
Oh you, and all of us who have been sent slightly batty by momofuku craziness! Can you do the “compost cookie”??? Described as pretzels, potato chips, coffee, oats, butterscotch, chocolate chips
chocolatesuze said,
February 24, 2010 @ 11:19 pm
that cookie is perfection. just staring at it makes me want to lick the screen.
shaz said,
February 25, 2010 @ 12:09 am
*goes glassy eyed*…Must make cookies now….Must make cookies now..
Not sure if this sounds sacrilegious, but do you think I could use choc chips instead of the berries?
Caitlin said,
February 25, 2010 @ 12:10 am
Milk crumbs? Cornflakes in cookies?! Hmm… Intriguing. As, it seems, everything from Momofuku is 🙂
Christy said,
February 25, 2010 @ 12:58 am
Uh huh. More sugar=more fun, I think we agree on that. Out of curiosity, was that cookie the last one you have on hand, probably one that you *just* managed to stop yourself from wolfing down before failing to take yet another photo? I just want to say that I understand.
Asha@FSK said,
February 25, 2010 @ 3:23 am
Milk crumbs?? Interesting! Never heard of it.. which means gotta make it!! :))
anna said,
February 25, 2010 @ 3:51 am
Oooooo…I haven’t tried the cornflake cookies but I LOVE the blueberry and cream cookies. Now I want to go get one. And it’s awesome to have the recipe for the milk crumbs, I’ll have to try that sometime.
Jessica said,
February 25, 2010 @ 4:53 am
as soon as I saw the title I knew I was going to try to make these now. Who doesn’t like milk and cereal?? Awesome!
cakebrain said,
February 25, 2010 @ 5:29 am
Groovy idea! For a multi-tasker like me, this cookie speaks to me! It looks delicious!
tara said,
February 25, 2010 @ 6:20 am
Oh, you terrifically divine woman. I’d wait years for these … But so happy that, because of your brilliance, I won’t have to.
These will be the next thing I bake. Trust.
Sophie said,
February 25, 2010 @ 6:32 am
These would be inhaled at my place, between the hubby and I, we have about 6 boxes of cereal open at the moment! And who doesn’t love cookies?!
I am the same way when it comes to saving things for photos… sometimes it doesn’t happen until batches later :D.
Glucose, huh? I never would’ve thought. I’m always surprised at the way different ingredients change the texture of baked goods, proving that baking truly is a science!
Hannah said,
February 25, 2010 @ 7:52 am
Fascinating! I love the concept, and the milk crumble does have so much potential for other desserts… I’m really dying to play with this and make a soymilk crumble!
Sasa said,
February 25, 2010 @ 7:53 am
I followed Tara’s Tweet here and I’m glad I did – very pretty and clean design you have and pretty writing to go with it, too.
Mowie said,
February 25, 2010 @ 9:02 am
I’m loving the glucose idea Y – I can only imagine what that would do. Must try it. Thanks for sharing. Your blog is always so inspiring!
Cakelaw said,
February 25, 2010 @ 10:57 am
Yum – these look and sound delicious! I am sure that Tara will feel they were worth the wait.
Cannelle Et Vanille said,
February 25, 2010 @ 11:20 am
i’m totally intrigued by this Y. must try to figure out a gf version pronto!
Howard said,
February 25, 2010 @ 12:28 pm
This is what I’ve been looking for, especially after falling in love with the cornflake cookie from the store and making the cereal milk crumbs from the book. I eat the crumbs with a spoon with a glass of milk, it is very bad for me.
Juliana said,
February 25, 2010 @ 3:02 pm
How interesting…corn flakes and milk crumbs 🙂 Have to try this one. It seems that is a good idea to have the milk crumbs handy!
faithy said,
February 25, 2010 @ 3:02 pm
I haven’t baked the pineapple tart yet and you have one more recipe for me to bake..lol!..i’m bookmarking this page for sure..:) Yummy cookies!
Taylor said,
February 25, 2010 @ 6:11 pm
These sound amazing!! Cookies are my absolute weakness… I wonder if this can be veganized?
penny aka jeroxie said,
February 25, 2010 @ 6:14 pm
These look amazing. I will eat it all….. my diet has just gone down the drain again
Trissa said,
February 25, 2010 @ 9:38 pm
Hi Y! What a fab idea to combine recipes from Christina Tosi – she is fantastic for coming up with both recipes but hey -you are fantastic too for combining them! Lucky Tara – would she be willing to share any with me?
Y said,
February 25, 2010 @ 10:41 pm
Manggy : Yes, I’d be the first in line to buy that book 🙂
shaz : Don’t see why you couldn’t use chocolate chips instead of dried berries. I thought the berries might be perceived as more ‘breakfast’ like, seeing as it’s a milk and cereal cookie.
Sasa : Thank you!
Howard : The cornflake cookie was my favourite pick from the lot you gave to me. I’d happily make those, but I really like the idea of the milk crumb too.
faithy : Pineapple tart be damned. Make the cookies first!
Taylor : I’m sure nothing’s impossible! Hope you give it a try.
Thank you everyone else also, for the comments. 🙂
steph (whisk/spoon) said,
February 26, 2010 @ 1:13 am
oh, i’ve had that blueberry & cream cookie from the bakery. this looks like a great variation on that–yum!
Anh said,
February 26, 2010 @ 10:42 am
You are a genious!! I will HAVE TO try this out. Milk crumb, wow!
erin said,
February 26, 2010 @ 11:49 am
Oh, Y, I love you! 🙂 I’m obsessed with Momofuku Milk Bar! I actually just finished eating one of their compost cookies! No lie! I’m totally making these! Totally.
Amanda said,
February 27, 2010 @ 2:11 am
Ohhhhh after waiting for ages for your next recipe and post, this is so worth my patience. Mmmmmm.
Arwen from Hoglet K said,
February 27, 2010 @ 6:27 pm
The milk crumbs sound amazing. I’ve never heard of anything like them, but I’m sure they’d be yummy.
Hilda said,
February 28, 2010 @ 5:15 am
Wait, how did I miss this? You post like lightning sometimes. I really need to visit Momofuku Milk Bar, sample everything, and then decide what to make since everything sounds delicious and very likely to bring me that much closer to my maker. First the crack pie which I didn’t get around to making, now these. You’re making my list very long you know. 😉
Xiaolu @ 6 Bittersweets said,
February 28, 2010 @ 5:39 pm
What a fascinating combination of flavors and textures. Truly unique and sounds like quite the treat, Y! Thank you for sharing this with all of us — and not just Tara 8).
Big Boys Oven said,
March 1, 2010 @ 11:57 pm
oh my sweet cookies, fly me some please….I beg you! 🙂
Dana McCauley said,
March 2, 2010 @ 9:29 am
Milk crumbs you say? How ingenius. Love the sound of these cookies.
Simon said,
March 9, 2010 @ 11:34 am
Milk & cereal cookie sounds so much like a breakfast cookie. I’d love to have a few of these over more milk for breakfast. Won’t be good for me but I bet they’ll be good 🙂
alice said,
December 10, 2010 @ 11:37 pm
Hello, did you use US cups or Australian cups for the milk crumbs? These look really great!
Y said,
December 11, 2010 @ 12:40 am
Hi Alice! I used Australian cups, but you can also use US cups instead, as long as you keep the ratios the same.