Saturday, December 24, 2011

Chocolate Chow Mein Noodle Cookies ( Hay Stacks)



This cookie, if you can call it that, was always a favorite of mine. I sent out the usual request for recipes but it was not in the archives... It may have fallen out of fashion before the definitive set of recipes in the book of books was written.
Not a problem with the internet.
I trolled around and found a suitable replacement. I don't remember these having peanuts in them and others don't remember these treats at all :-(.

But they did exist and as with many prairie treats they were often wrestled from Tupperware in the freezer when no one was looking.

The basic formula is as follows:

2 cups of chocolate chips
2 cups of butterscotch chips
2 cups of dried canned chow mein noodles
1 cup peanut butter

Melt the butterscotch chips first if you can using the double boiler
add the chocolate chips
stir slowly until fully melted.

then turn off the heat let it cool slightly, then mix in the noodles with a spatula or wooden spoon.
mix slowly taking care not to brake the noodles. Stir until they are covered with chocolate.
Add peanuts at this time.

If you don't want the peanuts add more noodles until it has the consistency of reinforced concrete and not a noodle soup.

Place the stacks on wax paper on a cookie sheet and put in the refrigerator to set.

If they look like they have a skirt of liquid chocolate they are too runny and add more noodles.

I made several batches and found that if you reduce the butterscotch chips and use dark chocolate chips they are much better .
I also added a teaspoon of Nescafe " Classico" instant coffee to the final batch that really pushed the whole taste over the top.