Divine cookies – my leftover icing brainstorm

This is a tale about how my love of chocolate and my desire never to throw out leftovers joined forces to create a new cookie.  Once upon a time, I went crazy with my newest cookbook, Dessert University, and made a 3-layer Italian meringue cake with chocolate ganache icing.  I’ve had several disastrous attempts to use a pastry bag before, but I never let a few disasters stop me.  This time I was successful and celebrated with a huge helping when dessert time came.

Anyway, at the end of the cake making, I had a container of chocolate icing left over.  The icing, basically melted chocolate chips and whipping cream, would normally have gone into a plastic container in my refrigerator, unlabeled and unused.  Weeks later, I might have come upon it while hunting for something else. At that point, I wouldn’t have a clue when I had made it – or perhaps even what it was – and would have pitched it into the trash. (Of course, if I realized it was chocolate, I would have checked to make sure no one was looking and then eaten it with a spoon while standing up next to the refrigerator.)  But this was no ordinary day – I had a brainstorm and decided to use the leftover icing right away.  Note to self – try to have more such brainstorms.

I shouldn’t have cookies sitting around in my pantry, but I do.  And for the last few months, the cookies of choice have been tiny gingersnaps.  They are delicious, and I can eat just a few at a time, with relatively little (caloric) damage.  The only thing wrong with gingersnaps is that they do not contain chocolate. You can see where I’m going, right?

Ginger and chocolate are a great combination. With the gingersnaps at the ready and the icing still smooth and spreadable, I went to work.  Quickly, I took out a small knife and my container of cookies, grabbed a plate and set to work.  Here’s the result.

I call them my not-quite-homemade, but-still-divine cookies.  I made about a dozen with the leftover icing and they were gone in a New York minute!  The only directions you need to know involve melting chocolate. 

Someday I may make the cookies from scratch and try to up the ante on this delightful concept.  But for the foreseeable future, all I need are my handy chocolate chips, a pan to melt them in, the ever-present container of gingersnaps, and about 5 minutes of spare time.