Procrastibaking with Brownie Dulce De Leche Cookie Sandwiches

I’m not a master of many things…
But, I mean I CAN beat my sister in an arm wrestle (soooo did not see that coming… who thought these wet pieces of string had some sort of muscle..), and I CAN conquer monster sandwiches… but one of the few things I will always be the master of?
Procrastination.

I’m actually a full on pro.
Making up tasks out of thin air is really quite a skill as I’m sure many of you understand.
Why is it we always notice the garden needs a mow, when an assignment is due the next day?
Or that a highly intricate dinner is in order, when a whole bunch of work could be done in that time?

Why?
Well, of course we have a life to lead rather than spin our minds crazy into work cause #yolo
and… well, I don’t really know why… the work never seems so bad once I start… getting started is one of life’s up hill battles.
Ya hearin me, I got dis.. breaking down procrastination one brownie at a time.

Wait a minute… brownies. They popped right in there didn’t they! (poor segue bec… poor segue).
Well, whilst we are on the brownie topic lemme explain the delicious circumstances at the beginning of a not-so-regrettful procrastination sesh. So as I was, like most days, just chillin at ma desk staring out the window like ‘hmm I like those blossoms in Spring’ (yep, instead of doing study), and then brain jumped from one thing to another and BAM 20 minutes had passed… as it does….THEN my brain jumped and was all thinkin’ about food and all, as it does.
I was at brownies, then cookies, then brownie cookies, then caramel, then dulce de leche, then brownies and dulce de leche, then the magic of brownie dulce de leche cookie sandwiches.
Man! What a cool mental food journey. Sariously, pretty productive huh?

Procrasti-dreamin turned into procrasti-baking… and that’s a good thing. allllways a good thing.
And thus, these bad boys were born.

And as it goes, the theme of this weeks Student Blogger Series theme is the Procrastibaking Student Blogger – Oh how fitting!
But sadly it is the last instalment of this series (someone pass me a tissue..) But have no fear! All those gorgeous and creative blogs are still gonna be posting recipes and ideas for all to see, ain’t it nice! Annnnd if you were like me a few months ago you’d be like ‘what on earth is this dulce de leche business, and why haven’t I heard about it till now!’ So i’ll lay out this awesomeness for ya. (But I’m not gonna try and pronounce it…. cause i’ll sound like a fool I tell you, a fool)
Think milky caramel, which comes about from our good friend sweetened condensed milk. Where we slowly heat it to form possibly the easiest form of caramel (you’ll remember my caramel woes from this post) and Bobs your uncle! Anyyyways, enough beating around the bush from me, here’s the recipe!

BROWNIE DULCE DE LECHE COOKIE SANDWICHES

(recipe adapted from Donna Hay, Dulce de Leche recipe from Taste.com.au, and Buttercream from ‘The Doctor’s Dishes, Desserts & Decor’)

INGREDIENTS:

Brownie Cookies
200g dark chocolate, chopped
150g milk chocolate chips
40g butter
2 eggs
⅔ cup (150g) caster (superfine) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup (35g) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
¼ teaspoon baking powder, sifted

Dulce de Leche
2 x 395g cans sweetened condensed milk

Dulce de Leche Buttercream
3/4 cup prepared dulce de leche
1 cup butter, room temperature
3 Tablespoons heavy cream
1 Tablespoon vanilla essence
4 cups powdered sugar pinch of salt
METHOD:

Dulce de Leche
1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Pour condensed milk into a heatproof baking dish, and cover with foil. Place dish in a roasting pan. Pour water into pan to come halfway up the side of dish.
2. Bake in the oven, refilling the pan with water if necessary, for 1 hour 45 minutes or until dark golden.
3. Whisk the mixture until smooth. Pour into a 500ml (2-cup) capacity sterilised jar and seal. Once opened, store in the fridge.

Brownie Cookies
1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the dark chocolate and the butter in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until melted and smooth. Set aside.
2. Place the eggs, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk for 15 minutes or until pale and creamy. Stir through the flour, baking powder, chocolate mixture and chocolate chips, and allow to stand for 10 minutes.
3. Spoon small tablespoonfuls of the mixture, at a time, onto baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper. 4. Bake for 8–10 minutes or until puffed and cracked. Allow to cool completely on trays.

Dulce de Leche Buttercream
1. Cream together butter and dulce de leche on low using an electric mixer.
2. Add cream and vanilla and beat on medium speed until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and beat to incorporate.

(P.S. this is gonna make a whole lotta buttercream… so store in the fridge for your next batch or simply use to finish off your favourite cupcakes or cake! …if you haven’t eaten the buttercream straight with a spoon already 😛 )   and yes, I tried the whole Linda Lomelino floral prop thang, and I still think Linda’s the ultimate master! Better luck next time Bec.

Show our #gradstudentbloggers and #undergradstudentbloggers your support! Check out the whole list of featured Student Procrastibaking recipes now:

Crispy Gnocchi with Pork Tenderloin and Fava Beans by  via Bacon Egg Cheese(cake)

Healthy Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars by Wallflour Girl

PB Swirled Chocolate Ice Cream by Go Bake Yourself

Pink Moscato Panna Cotta with Pistacios by Blahnik Baker

Raspberry and Cardamon Brioche Buns by PicnicNZ

SAY WHAT?As a fun bonus to this roundup, we asked today’s student bloggers some fun, wacky questions about their (im)balanced school/blogger lives at read their answers now on our hostess’s blog, Wallflour Girl

Allllll of this deliciousness was thanks to procrastination! See, it’s kinda a good thing… possibly one of the best things.

Also, just a big thanks and high-five to all the gorgeous bloggers who partook in this delicious series – you’re all the biggest champs!
And an especially big thank-you to the wonderful Ala from Wallflour Girl for putting together the whole series 🙂
Hope you enjoyed it folks!

P.S. If you wanna see what other goodies I whip up in procrastination, the recipe are here, here and here
P.P.S. Don’t forget to do some last minute voting for Daisy and the Fox for the Pedestrian.tv 2014 Blogster Awards!   thanks for stopping by!