“Leave the Box on the Shelf” Amanda Clarke on her homemade nilla wafers. This is her recipe.
I made a brand name pudding the other day and we couldn’t eat it. What’s going on? Boxed and canned foods are getting worse year after year. Really, have you noticed how really bad commercial boxed cookies are tasting these days? Did I spoil us with butter so I can’t stand a brownie made with margarine? Or is the commercial stuff really getting worse? I didn’t have any homemade cookie crumbs left in the freezer so I bought a box of Nilla. I used what I needed for the vanilla crumbs. There was some left, but after 3 months in the cupboard and nobody wanting it finally I threw the leftover nilla away. I should have made my own to start with. This recipe makes 56 crunchy wafers. Freeze it and use it as needed. The flavour is intense vanilla. The dough rolled nicely so I don’t see the point in dragging out the pastry bag and attachments and then washing them. Just roll them by hand. I guarantee that these crunchy little wafers will make the best vanilla crumbs ever.
Nilla Update: None of THESE will ever make it to crumbs; husband and granddaughter were both horrified at grinding them up. She is walking away with whatever husband failed to secure for himself. I guess I am baking again tomorrow.
Nilla Update: None of THESE will ever make it to crumbs; husband and granddaughter were both horrified at grinding them up. She is walking away with whatever husband failed to secure for himself. I guess I am baking again tomorrow.
HOMEMADE NILLA WAFERS
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 tsp salt 1 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, seeds only
1 large egg white
1-1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp milk
1-1/3 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
• Preheat oven to 350F.
• With an electric mixer, cream butter, salt, sugar and vanilla seeds until light and fluffy.
• Beat in egg white until incorporated.
• Beat in extract and milk until incorporated.
• Whisk together flour and baking powder and add to butter mixture.
• Mix just to incorporate and press together until dough forms.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Roll 56 balls between the palms of your hands and place on the prepared cookie sheets.
• Leave room for expansion.
• Bake for 15 minutes.
• The cookies will be soft at first, but they will firm up as they cool.
• Remove from heat and let cookies cool down completely before storing.
• Cookies will keep in an airtight container for at least a week and for several months in the freezer.
