It’s no secret that I am a huge theatre fan. Naturally, I look forward to the Tony Awards in the way most people prepare for the Oscars. However, the 2017 Tony’s were filled with the most anticipation. Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 was nominated for 12 awards–it was something I knew was going to happen as I sat in on the final dress rehearsal of the show’s first incarnation at Ars Nova five-years earlier while I was just an intern, and I could not contain my pride or excitement.
Of course, this means that I needed to prepare a full on, Russia-themed celebration in order to watch the awards. I prepared Russian black bread and pierogis, both of which were served to the audience members by the cast at the beginning of every performance, and decided to incorporate vodka into dessert. Thus began the creation of these White Russian sandwich cookies (also partially inspired by The Dude–I can never deny my love and appreciation for the Coen Brothers).
I like to slightly under-bake these cookies so that they’re soft and chewy–perfect for sandwiching together. They’re incredibly tender and incorporate the flavors of coffee, Kahlúa, and the reappearance of Christina Tosi’s Milk Crumbs to imitate the cream in the drink. Despite the alcohol in the cookie dough, these get their boozy kick from the white chocolate ganache in the center–white chocolate, heavy cream, vodka, and Kahlúa are whipped to create a pipe-able, sweet filling with a boozy kick.
Sadly, the awards ended with Great Comet (and Rachel and Dave, in particular for Best Direction and Best Orchestrations) getting robbed, but that didn’t stop them from putting on what is arguably one of the best Tony performances. I may be biased, but look at everyone and everything that had to be organized to make this performance happen–it’s nothing short of impressive! (Plus, my heart bursts every time Josh Groban pulls Dave on stage to play piano). And, the show at least won for Set Design and Lighting Design which were undeniably amazing, impressive, and ever-changing as the production transitioned from the first intimate production, to an off-broadway tent, to the reimagined Broadway stage.
So pour a shot of vodka, grab a White Russian sandwich cookie or two, finally break out that copy of War and Peace or put on The Big Lebowski, and revel in boozy satisfaction.
| Servings |
sandwich cookies
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- 1/4 + 1/8 cup instant dry nonfat milk
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 1 Tbsp corn starch
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp butter melted
- 1.5 oz white chocolate melted
- 6 oz white chocolate chopped into small pieces
- 3 oz heavy whipping cream
- 1 1/2 Tbsp vodka
- 3/4 Tbsp Kahlúa
Ingredients
Christina Tosi's Milk Crumbs
Whipped White Chocolate Ganache with Vodka and Kahlúa
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- Prepare the ganache: Chop the white chocolate into small pieces and put it into a small bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy whipping cream, vodka, and Kahlúa until small bubbles begin to form. Pour the cream mixture over the white chocolate; shake the bowl a little to make sure all the chocolate is covered. Let sit about 3 minutes. Using a small spatula, start stirring from the middle out until all the white chocolate melts and everything is fully smooth and combined. Allow the ganache to cool for about 2-3 hours--the ganache should be able to hold it's shape fairly well; if you spoon a bit out, you should see where you took it from.
- Once the ganache is cooled, use a whisk attachment on your mixer and whisk on high until the ganache is fluffy. This should only take about 1-2 minutes. Be careful not to over-whip.
- Make the milk crumbs: Heat the oven to 250°F. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of the dry milk with the flour, corn starch, sugar, and salt. With a spatula, stir in the butter until small clumps start to form. Spread the mixture on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake 20 minutes until sandy. Cool. Return the crumbs to a bowl, stir in the other 1/4 cup of dry milk and pour the white chocolate into the crumbs, mixing until evenly coated. Set aside.
These sandwich cookies can be kept out for a couple of hours but keep best when stored in the fridge.