Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Accidental Carb-Free Sweetened Condensed Milk and Stracciatella Cookies!!!

OK, so last night I was trying out this low carb candy recipe I saw on my newsfeed on Facebook. I didn't save it and I can't remember where it was from but, I ALWAYS change recipes based on what I have in my pantry and what I know to be suitable subs. It was supposed to be orange flavored . . . mine was butterscotch. Anyways, after changing this recipe around on paper, I made it and the candy mixture seized up on me and turned into this clumpy, sticky mess. It tasted good but, I couldn't get it into molds or even spread into a pan. It was like if you wait too long to get the hot Rice Krispie mixture into the pan. My husband was like, "What is that? It looks like baby spit up!" Hey! Thanks for the input, Hon! I could not salvage it, so into the trash it went. BUT . . . the taste reminded me of a cross between marshmallow fluff and sweetened condensed milk with the texture of sweetened condensed milk. So I started over and left out the ingredient that I was sure had caused the awful clumpy mess in the trash. Here is what I got! Beautiful, no?
 

Just so you can see how it flows. It is truly a syrup, sticky texture but smooth and delicious!


Here is what I did:

I poured 1/3 cup + 1 TBSP boiling water into the single serve cup of my Ninja.

I added 2 TBSP salted butter and 2 TBSP unsalted butter I added 1/8 tsp LorAnn Oils butterscotch flavor. If you use regular extracts, use 1/2 tsp. Also, be creative and use whatever flavor you want!!! I give you permission! LOL! I blended all this together until smooth.

Then I added 3 TBSP THM Sweet Blend (You may have to convert if you are using a different sweetener. They have a conversion chart on the THM website.).

I also added 1 measured cup of Vanilla Whey Protein Isolate (I used Jay Robb - 3 scoops). Blend until smooth and pour into a covered container and keep it in the fridge. It makes 1 and 1/2 cups. Per TBSP it has 31.7 calories, 1.9g fat, 0 carbs and 3.1g protein

I used this in my iced coffee this morning. It was delicious! One of the ladies on the THM Facebook page made a pin for the sweetened condensed milk. You can find it here.

So . . . all that to say . . . I used it to make these awesome cookies.  I am calling them Stracciatella Cookies because they look like Stracciatella gelato and the flavors are very similar.  See . . . doesn't the dough look like Stracciatella gelato???


I used my Pampered Chef small cookie scoop to scoop the dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and flattened them with my fingers.


I baked them at 350 degrees for exactly 8 minutes. They were perfect!


I love how perfectly they browned on the bottom.


Isn't it pretty??? I ground up 1/2 cup of Lilly's Chocolate Chips to make these pretty chocolate flakes throughout.


Yum !  NOT cake-y at all! They actually have a crispy, buttery outside.  They are a great dunking cookie because they are not gooey inside and they soak up you beverage of choice.


My taste testers loved them!


So here is the recipe for Stracciatella Cookies.
They are and S treat if you follow THM.
They are low carb, sugar free!

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

Whip until light and airy.

1/2 cup homemade sweetened condensed milk from above
1 TBSP Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp baking powder
2 Tbsp THM Sweet Blend

Blend until it is all smooth and incorporated.

1 1/2 cups THM Baking Blend

Blend until incorporated.

1/2 cup Lilly's chocolate chip pulsed in the blender to make chocolate dust

Stir in with a spoon and scoop with a cookie scoop onto your parchment lined baking sheet. Flatten with your fingers and bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Enjoy!

NOTES:
* My husband said they reminded him of Pecan Sandies. They are buttery and crisp on the outside and porous on the inside making it a great dunking cookie.

* You can just make these as chocolate chips but, then you can't called them Stracciatella Cookies. LOL! * If you use salted butter, leave out the sea salt or these cookies will be too salty.