Shrimp and Grits

In my never-ending list of things I've either never tried or never liked, I have always placed grits somewhere firmly at the top. I'm not a mush kind of gal; I dislike mashed potatoes, do not care for oatmeal, etc. So it should come as no surprise that I never even attempted eating or making grits before in my life. But then, a funny thing happened. I asked my husband what meal he would like me to prepare for his birthday dinner, and I was fully expecting him to say Chicken and Dumplings. Well, he didn't. Instead, he asked me to make Shrimp and Grits. He's never actually had Shrimp and Grits as a meal before, but he loves shrimp and he loves grits separately. Turns out, he's always wanted to try it together. Determined to make him proud, I figured I would make this for him, and then make up my mind when I was serving it about whether I would give it a taste.



It's actually super simple to make. Now, admittedly, I did cheat a little bit, and I used quick-cooking grits rather than making my own from scratch, with cornmeal. Other than that, I was pretty faithful to the recipe. I found this recipe in my Bobby Flay's Throwdown cookbook, and although Bobby did not take home the crown in the Shrimp and Grits battle, I was still drawn to his version above the other one. The grits are simmered in shrimp stock, which you make from scratch using shrimp shells and tails and assorted vegetables. Then, they're finished with a heaping pile of white cheddar cheese and a touch of heavy cream. The shrimp is sauteed in bacon fat infused with garlic, then piled on top of the cheesy, creamy grits. The bacon (which of course is the source of that bacon fat) and some green onion is scattered over the top. Not including the time it took to make the homemade shrimp stock, this whole meal can be on the table in half an hour, so you can't beat it for its fast prep.

So, the verdict? Hubby was actually pretty underwhelmed by it, and I actually really liked it! Totally not the two reactions I was expecting, to be sure! It's not that my hubby hated it, but he kept saying it just was not what he thought it would be. I think because the recipe had Bobby Flay's name attached to it, he was anticipating some spice or heat to the shrimp. He also said it was his first time eating cheesy grits that were so creamy, and that it was just okay. I was a bit disappointed about his reaction, since it was his special dinner. He still ate two huge helpings, though, so it wasn't a complete loss!

I had a really small portion, since I didn't know how I would feel about it, but I could have eaten more. The shrimp was juicy and crisp, and of course bacon fat always makes things better. The grits were definitely creamy, but I didn't mind the texture nearly as much as I thought I would. The cheesiness and the shrimp stock really enhanced the grits for me; it gave it great flavor, as opposed to reducing the grits to a flavorless pile in the bowl. So, I survived my first helping of Shrimp and Grits, and I would even be so bold as to say I might even eat it again!





Bobby Flay's Gulf Shrimp and Grits
adapted from Bobby Flay's Throwdown
makes 4 servings

Ingredients
4 cups shrimp stock (recipe follows)
Kosher salt
1 cup stome-ground yellow cornmeal
8 oz. thick-cut, double-smoked bacon, cut into 1-inch-long matchsticks
20 large (21- to 24-count) shrimp, shelled and deveined
Freshly ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) grated white cheddar cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish

Directions
1. Bring the shrimp stock and 2 tsp. salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Slowly whisk in the cornmeal and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, whisking every few minutes, until the grits are soft and have lost their gritty texture, 25 to 30 minutes. If the mixture becomes too thick, add a little more stock.

2. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until it is golden brown and crisp and the fat has rendered, about 8 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.

3. Remove all but 3 Tbsp. of the bacon fat from the skillet, and return it to high heat. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Add the shrimp, garlic, and thyme, in batches, if necessary, to the skillet and saute until the shrimp are light golden brown on both sides and just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove the shrimp to a plate. Reserve the garlic oil left in the skillet.

4. Stir the cheese and heavy cream into the cooked grits, and whisk until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Divide the grits among 4 bowls, and top each with 5 shrimp. Drizzle with some of the garlic oil from the skillet, and sprinkle with the green onions.


Shrimp Stock
from Bobby Flay's Throwdown
makes about 8 cups

Ingredients
2 Tbsp. canola oil
4 cups raw shrimp shells and tails
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 small carrot, coarsely chopped
1/2 medium celery stalk, coarsely chopped
1 cup dry white wine
1 medium tomato, chopped, or 1/2 cup chopped canned plum tomatoes
1 bay leaf
8 black peppercorns

Directions
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over high heat until almost smoking. Add the shrimp shells and tails, onion, carrot, and celery, and saute, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the wine and boil until reduced by half. Add 8 cups cold water, the tomato, bay leaf, and peppercorns.

2. Reduce the heat to medium, cover partially, and simmer for 40 minutes. Strain the stock through cheesecloth or a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl.

Baked Sunday Mornings: Carrot Coconut Scones

This weekend's Baked Sunday Mornings goodie was Carrot Coconut Scones with Citrus Glaze. What a perfect Sunday morning treat! I'm going to keep this post short today, as my husband is running the St. Louis half-marathon this morning and I need to go get the kids ready so we can all be downtown in time for him to finish. He's been working so hard; I'm really proud of him and I can't wait to see him cross the finish line!



But back to the scones. These are delicious. They're slightly crusty on the outside, but pillowy soft on the inside. The carrot flavor is there, but you don't get small bits or shreds of carrot when you bite down. That's because this recipe has you puree some orange juice with the carrots after cooking and softening them. Almost like baby food, the carrot puree is mixed into the dry ingredients and blends into the finished product beautifully.

I was running low on coconut when I made these, but since I was going to be feeding the scones to various people and didn't know who loved or hated coconut, I thought maybe a reduced amount was a good solution. So, in the end, my scones only contained 1/4 cup of coconut, rather than the full 1 cup called for. As it turns out, many thought this was the perfect amount. There were unanimous rave reviews for these; everybody loved them.

The glaze really enhanced the scones with its citrusy sweetness, but I tried a scone warm from the oven the day they were made, and didn't have any glaze at the time. In my opinion, they were still amazing even without it! But either way you choose to enjoy them, give them a try. Nothing like carrot cake, but still wonderful in their own right.



Be sure to check out how the other members of the group liked their scones by clicking over to the blogroll, which is here. Enjoy your Sunday!

Key Lime Pie

Boy, do I love me some Key Lime Pie! I always have, as far back as I can remember. It may just be the only type of dessert that can sway me, at a restaurant, from ordering a chocolatey confection. And that is no small feat! I just love the puckery tang, the sweet, crumby graham cracker crust, and the perfect fluff of browned meringue on top.

So imagine my delight when I happened to stumble across a big package of fresh key limes in my local international foods market last weekend! I don't know if I've ever truly realized that key limes are so much tinier than regular Persian limes. I got about 2 lbs. of key limes for under 2 bucks, which I believe is a fair price although I wouldn't really know. It seemed good! I was eager to test them out. I've never made a from-scratch Key Lime Pie before, let alone with authentic key limes. But I set out to change that.

I debated for a bit about what type of crust I should do, and what type of topping I should do. I love the graham cracker crust, but I've also had Key Lime Pies with a more standard, not-too-sweet pie dough that I think is really good. I also considered a fresh whipped cream topping on this. In the end, the graham cracker/meringue combo won. I wasn't disappointed; it was a good choice!

One minor note I thought I would mention: it's very important to chill the finished pie after about an hour of cooling on the counter. I learned this the hard way! We had to leave the house right after this came out of the oven, and we didn't get back for about 4-5 hours. When we arrived home, the meringue had shriveled up and pulled away from the sides of the pan! It still tasted awesome, it just didn't look nearly as pretty as it did when it first came out of the oven (and fortunately many of my pictures were taken while it was still attractive!). So if you're serving this to company or just want your pie to remain beautiful, chill it for several hours before you enjoy it.

Key Lime Pie
adapted from United Cakes of America
makes one 9-inch pie

Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray
10 full sheets (5 oz.) graham crackers
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
6 Tbsp. granulated sugar, divided
1 (14-oz.) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs, yolks and whites separated (whites at room temperature)
2/3 cup fresh key lime juice
1/8 tsp. cream of tartar

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Using a food processor or a Ziploc bag and a rolling pin, crush the graham crackers until they are fine crumbs. Add 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar and the melted butter to the graham crackers, tossing to coat crumbs with butter.

2. Line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper, spraying the pan with nonstick cooking spray both under and on top of the parchment. Press the graham cracker mixture into the prepared pan, making sure it is even. Bake on the center rack in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly browned and fragrant. Set on a rack to cool.

3. Make the filling by whisking the egg yolks until well combined. Add in the condensed milk slowly, whisking the whole time. Slowly drizzle in the lime juice; the mixture will thicken as you whisk it. Pour the filling into the cooled pie crust.

4. Return the pie pan to the oven, and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the filling is just set and no longer jiggly. Remove the pan from the oven, return it to the rack, and allow it to cool.

5. Make the meringue by setting the egg whites and the cream of tartar in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk the whites at a medium speed until they form soft peaks. Slowly add the remaining 4 Tbsp. sugar, one Tbsp. at a time, and continue whisking the whites at medium-high speed. Once the whites have formed stiff peaks, stop the mixer.

6. Crank up the oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the meringue onto the cooled pie, ensuring the entire surface is covered and the meringue seals the edges. If desired, fluff the meringue into little peaks or other designs on top. Return the pie to the oven and bake for an additional 5-6 minutes, just until the meringue is browned on top, making sure not to over-brown. Allow the pie to cool at room temperature for about 1 hour, then put it in the refrigerator for at least another 3 hours before serving.

CEIMB: Crispy Chicken Fingers

This week's Craving Ellie in My Belly recipe comes from Jen of The Rookie Baker. We made Crispy Chicken Fingers, from Ellie's first cookbook, The Food You Crave. I was pretty sure I had made this recipe before, a long time ago, but of course that wasn't about to stop me from making it again with the group! My family loves chicken fingers, and the preparation for this was so simple, I did not mind mind putting this one together at all.



The last time I had made this, I think I must have used Corn Flakes, because this time it tasted totally different. That's because this time around I used some of the Corn Chex that I still have lying around the house from the holidays, when we like to make several (hundred!) batches of Chex Mix. It's such an easy breading process, thanks to Ellie's tip of throwing the cereal crumbs in a Ziploc bag and sealing the chicken in there with them. Just shake, shake, shake, and you have breaded chicken! My chicken did stick together some after all the shaking, so I had little bits of the chicken which remained uncoated. I used my fingers and some excess crumbs to reapply cereal to the naked parts, and for the most part this worked out fine.

I stuck the chicken pieces on a baking sheet lined with nonstick aluminum foil, and everything baked up great and didn't stick at all. I did not follow Ellie's instructions completely; I took the chicken off the baking sheet immediately out of the oven. She tells you to leave the chicken on there longer to allow the chicken to crisp up even more. I'm sure that's why my chicken wasn't as crispy as I would have liked. That's my fault though; we were too impatient to eat that night!



For a quick, healthier way to enjoy breaded chicken, this recipe is a no-brainer. Thanks to Jen for allowing me to revisit this one! To see the full recipe, click here. To see the CEIMB blogroll, click here.

Burnt Sugar Bundt Cake

I decided to whip up an easy bundt cake to take to my in-laws' house not too long ago. My hubby's birthday is today (Happy Birthday, darling!), and so I figured it would be nice to have a cake that everybody could eat together, since he wouldn't be seeing any extended family on the actual day of. I knew I could turn to my Baked Explorations book for something that would be tasty and easy, but would still appear elegant and fancy enough to qualify as birthday cake.



This one is a real gem. It's listed in the book as Burnt Sugar Bundt Cake with Caramel Rum Frosting, but since I left out the rum mine is simply a caramel frosting. The cake is a simple one, but it is dressed up with the addition of a burnt sugar mixture, which is divided in half and added to both the cake batter and the frosting. A basic hard caramel candy topping is made on the stovetop, broken into pieces, and arranged on top of the frosted cake, dressing it up nicely. The book lists the topping as optional, but I totally think it's a must here.



I think I may have made my burnt sugar liquid a little, well, less burnt than I was supposed to. You're instructed to heat sugar in a saucepan until it melts and turns a dark caramel color. I thought I did that, but the resulting liquid (which is a blend of the melted sugar, heavy cream, coconut milk, and lemon juice) turned out an off-white color. The cake, which contains half the liquid, is a pale yellow color, while the picture in the book clearly shows a dark brown, almost chocolate-looking cake. However, I honestly don't think it mattered to anybody because the cake was positively scrumptious.



One little note about the frosting, though: I think it needs extra confectioners' sugar. The recipe calls for 2 1/3 cups, but I would venture to say that closer to 3 cups is called for here. When I attempted to apply the frosting to the cooled cake, I encountered a problem. The frosting ran, avalanche-style, down the sides of the cake! Because it's a liquid/confectioners' sugar blend, it eventually did set up for me, like a glaze, although I had to refrigerate it overnight to make sure everything stayed put. After that, it was firm and it stayed that way. The hole in the center of the cake was filled with extra frosting, since it had pooled down there before settling. Again, it did not affect the taste at all, but I just thought I'd issue a warning in case anybody tried to make this! It's worth the steps, and it's not complicated at all. Just perfect to take along to a party!




Burnt Sugar Bundt Cake with Caramel Frosting
adapted from Baked Explorations
makes 1 (10-inch) bundt cake

Ingredients
For the burnt sugar liquid:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
Approximately 3/4 cup coconut milk
1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

For the bundt cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter
(2 1/2 sticks) cut into 1-inch cubes, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Burnt Sugar Liquid (see above)

For the caramel shard topping:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
About 1 tsp. water

For the caramel frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
2 1/3 cups confectioners' sugar (or more, as needed)
Burnt Sugar Liquid (see above)

Directions
Make the burnt sugar liquid: 1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, slowly melt the sugar. Use a wooden spoon to stir it continuously to ensure even melting. When the sugar turns a dark caramel color, remove the pan from the heat and slowly stream in the cream while continuing to stir (don't worry if mixture starts to clump). Return the pan to medium heat and stir until completely combined; cook for 2 minutes longer, stirring.

2. Transfer the burnt caramel mixture to at least a 2-cup heatproof liquid measuring cup (like Pyrex) and add enough coconut milk to make 1 1/4 cups liquid. Add the lemon juice. Whisk to combine, divide the mixture in half, and set both portions aside.

Make the bundt cake: 1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Generously spray the inside of a 10-inch Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray; alternatively, butter it thoroughly, dust it with flour, and knock out the excess flour.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Add the vanilla and beat for 5 more seconds.

3. Retrieve one of the reserved portions of burnt sugar liquid. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the burnt sugar, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat again for 10 seconds. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a small sharp knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Gently loosen the sides of the cake from the pan and turn it out onto the rack.

Make the caramel shard topping: 1. Place the sugar in a small saucepan. Add enough water - it takes approximately 1 tsp. - to make it the texture of wet sand. Cook on high heat until the sugar turns amber. Pour the caramel onto a half-sheet pan lined with nonstick aluminum foil. Let cool. Break the cooled caramel into small shards and use them to decorate the frosted cake.

Make the caramel frosting: 1. Put the butter, vanilla, confectioners' sugar, and remaining portion of burnt sugar liquid in a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until the frosting is shiny and smooth.

Assemble the burnt sugar bundt cake: 1. Use an offset spatula to spread the frosting over the crown of the Bundt in a thick layer. Top with caramel shards. Let the frosting set before serving. The cake will keep in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to 3 days.

Meatless Mondays: Green Curry with Bok Choy

This past week, I prepared yet another "first" in the kitchen. I cooked tofu, something I'd never done before. In fact, I've only eaten tofu about three times total; this Green Curry with Bok Choy was the third. It's definitely not as scary as I thought it would be; in fact, it's actually pretty pleasant! It's especially good in dishes like this curry, since it just assumes the flavor of whatever it is in. This curry is packed with great, exotic flavor.

The "green" parts of this curry are plentiful. There's fresh broccoli and bok choy in this recipe, along with a heaping helping of fresh cilantro and a couple of serrano peppers. The cilantro and peppers are added to a few other ingredients and processed until they form a smooth paste. This paste becomes the base for the sauce of the dish. More green components, such as Kaffir lime leaves, basil, and mint are added as aromatics, making the dish smell heavenly and taste just as great. I wish that I had Kaffir lime at the time that I made this; I can see how it would have enhanced the dish so much more. It was still wonderful, but the lime leaves would probably have taken it over the top.

The tofu is cut into cubes and added to the sauce to simmer. A can of coconut milk (light, since this is a Cooking Light dish), fresh lime juice, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil round out the sauce, and after a brief thickening period, the pre-cooked veggies are thrown in to warm through. The curry is served on top of rice, and garnished with the basil and mint. I loved the ease of preparation here; the whole thing maybe took me half an hour. I couldn't tell you for sure, since I made this in different steps throughout the day, but each step was quick and simple. The dish tasted fresh, flavorful, slightly spicy, and just interesting enough to be deemed fancy. We really loved it. It just goes to show you that a fast dinner with a global flair really can be thrown together in the comfort of your own home!

Green Curry with Bok Choy
adapted from Cooking Light
makes 4 servings

Ingredients
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp. chopped, peeled fresh ginger
2 tsp. ground coriander
2 tsp. ground cumin
8 garlic cloves, peeled
3 small serrano chiles, stemmed and seeded
2 large shallots, coarsely chopped (I used 1/2 an onion)
4 cups coarsely chopped broccoli florets (about 1 head)
2 cups (1/2-inch-thick) slices baby bok choy
2 tsp. dark sesame oil
4 tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. lower-sodium soy sauce
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
3 Kaffir lime leaves (I omitted)
1 (13.5-ounce) can light coconut milk
1 (14-ounce) package water-packed organic firm tofu, drained and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 cups hot, cooked, long-grain white rice (I used brown jasmine rice)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint (I omitted)

Directions
1. Combine the first 7 ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. Set aside.

2. Cook broccoli florets in boiling water in a Dutch oven for 3 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Remove broccoli from water with a slotted spoon; drain and rinse with cold water. Return water to a boil. Add baby bok choy to Dutch oven; cook 1 minute. Drain and rinse with cold water; set aside.

3. Drain water from Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat. Add sesame oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add cilantro mixture to pan; saute 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add sugar and next 4 ingredients (through coconut milk) to pan; bring to a boil. Add tofu; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 6 minutes or until slightly thick. Add broccoli, bok choy, and juice; cook 1 minute or until heated through, tossing to combine. Discard lime leaves (if using). Place 1/2 cup rice in each of four bowls; spoon 1 1/2 cups tofu mixture over each serving. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. basil and 1 1/2 tsp. mint over each serving.

Malted Milk Sandwich Cookies

These cookies, like so many things on this blog nowadays, come from the Baked Explorations cookbook. They occupy photograph space on the cover of the book, along with the Salt and Pepper Sandwich Cookies I made a few weeks back. As it turns out, I had a special request from somebody who had tried, and loved, those s&p cookies. She wanted a batch made for her, and of course I was more than willing to oblige. However, this now gave me the perfect opportunity to make the Malted Milk Sandwich Cookies as well, because they contain the very same filling. So, I decided to make a half batch of each type of cookie, and a full batch of the filling. Killing two culinary birds with one stone, my kind of project!

Since I had gone the lazy route with the s&p cookies, and shaped them into cookies rather than taking the time to use a cookie cutter, I figured I would do the same with the Malteds. Turns out, this dough was much easier to work with and lent itself beautifully to simply being shaped into a log. After I chilled the dough log, a knife went easily through it to make evenly sized and shaped cookies. And I didn't even have to frustrate myself by rolling out the dough! Making the filling was smooth sailing, since I'd already done it once before.



These cookies came out of the oven much softer, I thought, than the s&p cookies. Texturally, they almost reminded me of those oatmeal cream pies you can get at the grocery store. They were soft, but firm, and paired up magnificently with the filling. The flavor? They were delicious! The malt, to me, was not overwhelmingly noticeable, so I might actually consider adding more malt next time and reducing the flour a tad. It proved to be a very tasty variation of a vanilla sandwich cookie, sort of like a flatter vanilla whoopie pie. I froze this batch and have enjoyed taking them out for a nighttime snack when the urge strikes.

Best of all (again), the hubby has been proven wrong, or just plain silly. He snagged one of these when they had been freshly made, and commented that it was really good. Little did he know, there was some malt in there, and he says he can't stand malt! But now we know the truth; between these cookies and the Malted Crisp Tart, he's been found out. He doesn't even notice the malt and actually likes the taste of malted baked goods! So maybe I won't be serving him a malted milkshake anytime soon, but I can totally throw malt into my baking with nary a complaint!




Malted Milk Sandwich Cookies
from Baked Explorations
makes about 30 sandwich cookies

Ingredients
For the cookies:
4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup malt powder
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

For the filling:
5 oz. vegetable shortening, at room temperature
4 Tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small chunks, at room temperature
3 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. light rum (I omitted and added an extra tsp. vanilla)

Directions
Make the cookies: 1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, malt, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat until just incorporated. Add half of the dry ingredients all at once and beat for 15 seconds. Again, scrape down the bowl, then add the remaining dry ingredients and beat until just incorporated. The mixture should come together almost in a ball.

2. Shape the dough into two logs that are equal in length end to end,, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place one dough log on a lightly flour-dusted cutting board.

3. (Note: the Baked directions would now direct you to roll out the dough and cut it into circles with a cutter. I'm going to tell you what I did instead, because it really worked well for me!)Slice the dough log into 30 equal slices, and then ensure they are round by manipulating the edges with your fingertips, if necessary. Place on the parchment-lined baking sheet and press down very lightly. Repeat this step with the other dough log.

4. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are just slightly browned. Place the baking sheets on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to the racks to cool completely. While the cookies cool, prepare the filling.

Make the vanilla filling: 1. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the shortening and butter until lump free and smooth. Add the sugar in three parts, mixing each part until just combined. Add the salt, vanilla, and rum (if using) and beat again for 10 seconds.

2. The filling should be thick but spreadable (like the inside of an Oreo). If it is too thick, add a drop or two of water as needed. Keep adding water to reach desired consistency, but do not add too much water or the filling will be too thin. Alternatively, if the mixture is too thin, add a few tablespoons of confectioners' sugar.

Assemble the Malted Milk Sandwich Cookies: 1. Use a pastry bag or a small spoon to apply about 2 Tbsp. of filling to the flat side of a cookie. Place another cookie, flat side down, on top. Press down slightly so that the filling spreads to the edges of the cookie. Repeat until all the sandwich cookies are made. Let them set up for about 15 minutes before serving. Store the cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days (they also freeze well).