For most people, a box of their favorite Girl Scout Cookies would suffice.
But for Doug Morris, owner of Old Town Bread Co. in Rowley, those sweet treats are the starting point for decadent desserts and even a savory surprise.
Morris will compete for bragging rights against six other pastry chefs next month for "best cookie creation" honors in a contest that uses the Girl Scout Cookie as its star ingredient.
Entries in the Girl Scout Cookie Creations fundraiser will be judged on taste, creativity and presentation. The audience will also choose its "crowd favorite."
"I'm going to push the envelope, and I think I will do pretty well," Morris said last week while putting the finishing touches on one of the recipes he's entering.
For the past several weeks, Morris has been eating and baking with boxes of Girl Scout Cookies in every variety to help him come up with what he hopes are unique — and tasty — recipes.
His creations for the contest will include a chocolate truffle made from the Girl Scouts Caramel deLights cookies topped with sea salt plus chocolate and orange ganache, and a grapefruit s'mores cookie that uses the Girl Scouts shortbread cookies, finished off with a pink grapefruit marshmallow and marmalade topping,
The grapefruit s'mores cookie will require last-minute torching to melt the homemade marshmallows.
"I figured, I hand-make marshmallow for Christmas, but why not a grapefruit-flavored marshmallow?" he said. "It was trial and error."
A surprise entry from Morris will be a savory cookie of smoked salmon with a red wine reduction on cinnamon-flavored Girl Scouts' Daisy Go Round Cookies. Far from traditional, he said the concoction is intended to push some buttons and make him stand out.
"I think it will add a lot to the desserts," said Morris, who will be competing in the event for the first time.
The Girl Scout Cookie Creations event will include seven chefs from across eastern Massachusetts representing all of the region's Girl Scout councils, said Stacy Wilbur, public relations and marketing director for Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts.
The other chef participants are Sarah Woodfine of Troquet in Boston, Tricia Personius of Burtons Grill in Hingham, Boston and North Andover; Daniele Beliani of Olivadi Restaurant in Norwood, Maura Kilpatrick of Oleana and Sofra Bakery in Cambridge, Evan Percoco of BOKX 109 American Prime in Newton, and Shingara "Peppino" Singh of Da Vinci Ristorante in Boston. The judges include Jennifer Johnson from "TV Diner," Alicia Love from Mix 98.5-FM radio and Nancy Augustyniak-Goffi from the Boston Breakers.
For the March 12 competition at the Hotel Commonwealth in Boston, chefs must assemble 50 to 200 portions of their cookie creations. Recipes are supposed to be kept top-secret until the contest, but Morris agreed to divulge just one. Proceeds from ticket sales will support Girl Scout programs.
"Currently, there are programs for Scouts to learn about breast cancer awareness," Wilbur said. "There are also programs where girls can learn self-defense. The money will go toward these types of programs."
Morris, who has been baking for more than 25 years, said that with an industrial kitchen at his disposal and a wealth of ingredients to choose from, he thinks he has a shot at winning the whole competition.
"It's fun and it's for a good case," Morris said, noting he often allows local Girl Scout troops to sell their cookies outside his Main Street shop. "It all goes to the Girl Scouts, and it will be fun meeting the different chefs."
IF YOU GO
What: Girl Scouts Cookie Creations fundraiser
When: Thursday, March 12, 6 to 8 p.m.
Where: The Hotel Commonwealth, 500 Commonwealth Ave., Boston
How: Tickets $30 each or two for $50. Visit www.girlscoutseasternmass.com or call 617-482-1078, ext. 212.
Delightful treats
Here are this year's Girl Scout Cookie flavors:
Thanks-A-Lot: Shortbread cookies with a layer of fudge on the bottom and embossed with "Thank You" in different languages on top
Do-Si-Dos or Peanut Butter Sandwiches: Oatmeal cookies with peanut butter-flavored filling.
Dulce de Leche: Cookies made with milk caramel chips
Lemon Chalet Cremes: Rectangular lemon-filled cookies with a cinnamon-ginger flavor
Lemonades: Shortbread cookies with a tangy lemon icing
Daisy Go Rounds: Reduced-fat crispy cinnamon cookies
Caramel deLites or Samoas: Vanilla cookies covered with caramel on top and bottom then rolled in coconut and striped with chocolate
Sugar-Free Chocolate Chips: Chocolate chip cookies for people who need or prefer sugar-free products
Tagalongs or Peanut Butter Patties: Cookies with soft peanut butter center and coated with chocolate
Thin Mints: Mint-flavored cookies covered with dark chocolate
Trefoils, aka Shortbread: A shortbread cookie
White Chocolate and Pink Grapefruit tart using Girl Scouts Shortbread Cookies
Pink Grapefruit Marshmallows
3/4 cup pink grapefruit juice
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon corn syrup
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 packets of plain gelatin
Butter and foil an 8 by 8 inch pan and place aside.
In a stand mixer, place 6 tablespoons of juice and gelatin to soften
In a large pan, place 6 tablespoons of juice, corn syrup and sugar and bring to a boil
Cook until 230 degrees on a candy thermometer.
Pour over gelatin mixture and mix on high speed until very stiff and light.
This will take 12 to 15 minutes.
Pour and spread the mixture into the pan and let dry overnight uncovered.
Cut into squares using confectioners sugar on a knife.
White Chocolate Ganache
12 ounces of white chocolate melted over a double boiler.
Wisk in 8 ounces of sour cream as fast as possible and place aside.
Cookie Crust
4 1/2 ounces Girl Scout Shortbread Cookies
3 tablespoons butter
1 egg yolk
Combine 4 1/2 ounces of Girl Scout Shortbread Cookies, 3 tablespoons of melted butter and one egg yolk in a food processor and pulse until combined.
Press mixture into a 7-inch tart pan and toast in the oven at 350 degrees.
To Assemble
Place tart shell on a platter and fill with white chocolate ganache
Top with pink grapefruit marshmallows.
When ready to serve, place under the broiler in your over for one to two minutes or until browned.
Garnish with pink grapefruit marmalade.
— Doug Morris
