Fish in Chips Cookie Cakes-Improv Challenge

The two ingredients for the June Improve Challenge, hosted by Kristen at Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker are fish and chips.

Since my hubby does not eat fish, I was planning to skip this one; then Kristen sent out an email that said to be creative, and things like Swedish Fish or fish crackers and candy chips could be used.  Since I love sweets, that changed my mind; and I thought that I would have some fun.

I decided to see what I could do with Swedish Fish and some cookie dough.  I purchased two boxes of Swedish Fish at the Dollar Store so I had 28 of them.  I used the Toll House Bar Cookie recipe from Nestles as my base recipe and used 1/2 c. each of chocolate, peanut butter, butterscotch and white chocolate chips.

I baked the cookie cakes in my silicone cupcake cups.  The cakes needed to bake about 20 minutes.  I baked them 10 minutes, inserted the Swedish Fish, and baked them 10 minutes more.  I think baking the cakes 15 minutes before inserting the fish might have been better.  Because of the length of the fish it was necessary to insert them diagonally.  I liked the look of that, but the fish could have been trimmed down so that they would be more vertical and centered in the cookie cake.  These do not have the consistency of cupcakes.  They are much more like a thick, chewy cookie.

I added a simple green tinted powdered sugar glaze to give the illusion of (what I hoped) was fish jumping out of water.  These might be fun to serve at a party that has a fishing or outdoor theme.

Fish in Chips Cookie Cake
24 to 28 Swedish Fish candies
1 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. granulated sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 t. vanilla
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1/2 c. each chocolate, peanut butter, butterscotch, white chocolate chips (or all one kind)
2 c. sifted powdered sugar
2-3 T. milk
blue and yellow food coloring

In a large mixing bowl combine butter, sugars and mix well.  Stir in eggs and vanilla until well blended.  Combine flour, baking soda and salt and mix well.  Stir into creamed mixture until well blended.  Stir in chips.  The dough will be somewhat stiff.  Spoon about 2 heaping tablespoons of dough into silicone cupcake cups or paper-lined muffin tins.  Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.  Insert a Swedish Fish diagonally into each cake.  Return to oven and bake 5 to 10 minutes more.  Do not over bake.  There will be liquid bubbling inside the fish, do not touch them.  Allow cakes to cool completely.  Remove silicone cups or paper liners.  Mix together the powdered sugar and milk to a glaze consistency.  Add a drop or two of blue and yellow food coloring to make glaze green.  Brush glaze around the fish and over the top of the cakes.  Let glaze set.  Makes about 24 to 28 cakes

The ingredients for July's Challenge are peaches and herbs.  You will find all the information for joining in the challenge on Kristen's Improve Challenge page.   You may join at any time.

Check out the links below to see what other bloggers have created with fish and chips.  There might even be some "real fish" in some of the recipes.

Linking to these great parties:
Full Plate Thursday
Fantastic Thursday
Thursday's Treasures 
Your Creative Time Out 
Showcase Your Talent Thursday
Catch a Glimpse Thursday 
Tasty Thursday