Nabisco Chocolate Wafers

Does anyone know where can I find these things? They're the cookies that are called for when making chocolate crumb crusts, and I don't seem to be able to find any around here (I've stopped in 4 Jewels and a Dominick's, looking for them). I feel like I've seen them recently somewhere, but I can't remember where. I do remember the last time I got some (years ago), I had some difficulty finding them, but not to this extent. Can anyone help me?

Thanks,
Sheena

1. Buy oreos
2. scrape 'creme' filling out with your teeth
3. voila

www.kraftfoods.com has a product locator under the product info tab. Here's what my search brought up:

There were 19 stores found for Famous Cookies - Chocolate Wafers within 5 miles of zip code 60641

Showing result[s] 1 through 5 of 19

Size: 9 OZ
UPC: 4400000159

Name Address City Phone Miles
Jewel Osco 4660 W Irving Park Rd Chicago (773) 202-0211 0.50
Jewel Food Store 4729 N Central Ave Chicago (773) 777-1142 2.02
Jewel Osco 4042 W Foster Ave Chicago (773) 583-8080 2.31
Jewel Osco 1710 N Kostner Ave Chicago (773) 252-1900 2.48
Cub Foods 4821 W North Ave Chicago (773) 227-7295 2.56

I have purchased them irregularly at Dominick's on Clybourn and on Division. I look for them occasionally as my wife likes to use them for cheesecake crusts. Have not looked for them since the holidays.

I had trouble finding those too. Finally found them in the ice cream topping aisle (at Jewel).

Good luck!

Did you try the Dominick's at Roosevelt and Canal? The last two times I've looked for them, they're on the shelves.

PBandFluff wrote:I had trouble finding those too. Finally found them in the ice cream topping aisle (at Jewel).

Good luck!

I do remember that the last time I bought some, I found them somewhere I hadn't expected them to be - maybe it was the ice cream aisle.

By the way, Fujisan, thanks for the heads-up on the website. I checked for my zipcode, and it claims that all four of the stores that I went to carry them. So I'll go back and check again. Otherwise, I may have to head down to Roosevelt & Canal.

Thank you all so much for your help!!!!

They may be in the baking aisle, perhaps near the pre-made pie crusts. I don't think most people eat them straight, so they're less likely to be found in the cookie aisle. In my family we always made an "icebox cake" (why is it never called a "refrigerator cake" or "freezer cake"?) where they were held together with some kind of frosting or whipped cream. Mmmmm... I may need to track down that recipe and make it for the first time since I was 10 or 12.

At the Jewel at Roosevelt and Ashland they're in an aisle end cap near the ice cream section, along with maraschino cherries, hot fudge, etc.

I'd look there.

Chgoeditor-

When you find that recipe can you pass it on? My mother-in-law always talks about that "cake" and I would love to surprise her with it!

Thanks!

Found a couple recipes on Oprah's web site, cooks.com and recipes.com....just thought I would pass this along if you are looking for a recipe!

The Dominick's in Evanston on Green Bay carries them (or usually does; now that they're remodeling it's anybody's guess) but it is true that they are often not where you'd expect them to be -- with the other cookies -- but are rather in places like the baking aisle or near the ice cream toppings. During the holidays they were in a special section along with pumpkin pie filling, bags of tiny marshmallows, etc. I would make sure and ask a manager in whatever store you visit, as they may be hiding in an obscure place.

They're on the top shelf in the cookie aisle at the Dominick's at Roosevelt/Canal, if you go looking.

PBandFluff wrote:Chgoeditor-

When you find that recipe can you pass it on? My mother-in-law always talks about that "cake" and I would love to surprise her with it!

Thanks!

PBandFluff...I'd be surprised if the recipe *isn't* on the box, too. If the recipes you've found don't turn out to be what your MIL remembers, ask again and I'll get it from my Mom.

I should add...since the kick-off to summer is here, I've always thought of it as a long-weekend, summer block party kind of treat. For those of us who appreciate 60s and 70s food nostolgia, this cake might be a classic example.

(Not to get off topic, but does any else have a fascination with the old community group cookbooks where recipes were credited to Mrs. Herbert Smith and called for 1 can of this and 1 can of that, plus you'd see the same recipe appear 3 times in slightly different variations? As an editor, they make me roll my eyes, but as a foodie, I'm fascinated because I have flashbacks to childhood. Fortunately, my family didn't eat that way, but I had enough meals at the houses of friends who did.)

PBandFluff wrote:Found a couple recipes on Oprah's web site, cooks.com and recipes.com....just thought I would pass this along if you are looking for a recipe!

PB...just looked at the one on Oprah's website. If you make this for your MIL, she'll probably remember it as log-shaped, not cake shapped like in the Oprah picture. (In other words, picture one multi-cookie-and-cream Oreo set on its side, possibly then with icing covering the entire creation.) Just wanted to mention it, since much of our food memories involve the look of food as well as the taste of food!

chgoeditor said

(Not to get off topic, but does any else have a fascination with the old community group cookbooks where recipes were credited to Mrs. Herbert Smith and called for 1 can of this and 1 can of that, plus you'd see the same recipe appear 3 times in slightly different variations? As an editor, they make me roll my eyes, but as a foodie, I'm fascinated because I have flashbacks to childhood. Fortunately, my family didn't eat that way, but I had enough meals at the houses of friends who did.)

Yes.....I have several (more than I'm supposed to admit!). Great appetizer and dessert recipes. They are being published now locally and can be found in bookstores. I stop in local bookstores while travelling and peek through them, picking up the "good" ones. I have a bunch from the 50s/60s.....

I am a big fan of those cookbooks! Some of my best recipes are from these (mostly dessert and appetizers also). When I am out and about I also look for these in bookstores (along with any cookbook form the 50, 60 or 70's). I am a cookbook/recipe collector at heart.

I love the childhood memory/food connection. I hope to pass that along to my kids! This also is why I am so excited to surprise my MIL with the wafer "cake" treat! She will be thrilled!

Thanks Chgoeditor for the heads up about Oprah's recipe...I think she does remember the log version.

Cub Foods and Treasure Island reliably stock these cookies and as PBandFluff notes, they are often shelved with ice-cream toppings at other stores.

However, Flip is absolutely correct that Oreos work just as well if you're going to be crushing them to crumbs. (My usual method is to unscrew the cookies, set aside the half to which the filling adheres for eating open-face, and use the other half in the recipe. Although I've seen many recipes that just call for crushing the cookies, filling and all (Chocolate cream pie with Oreo crust).

Alternatively, you can bake your own. These will be lighter in color than the commercial version. Add brown paste food coloring for darker cookies.

Chocolate wafer cookies

3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 egg whites

Sift the cocoa with the flour and salt; set aside. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, brown and granulated sugars and vanilla on medium speed about 5 minutes. Beat in the egg whites, one at a time.
Scrape down bowl and beaters and add the cocoa mixture, mixing on low speed until well combined.

Remove the dough from the bowl, divide in half, and using plastic wrap to help, shape into logs 2 inches in diameter. Refrigerate till firm, several hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment or foil. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into slices about 1/8 inch thick. (Alternatively, roll the dough out thinly on a lightly floured work surface. Cut the dough with a 2-inch round cutter. You can press the scraps together and re-roll to make more cookies.)

Place the cookies on the prepared pans. Pierce the cookies several times with a fork. Bake 20 minutes, until lightly puffed and firm. Let cool on the pan, and then peel off the paper or foil. About 3 dozen cookies.


Here are two recipes using wafer cookies:

Mary Jane Calin's ice-box cake

1/2 pint whipping cream
Sugar to taste
1 9-ounce package chocolate wafers
2 medium ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple (drained)

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, whip the cream until stiff, adding sugar as desired.

Place one layer of cookies on a plate. Add one layer of sliced bananas. Over that layer some of the pineapple. Then cover the top with a thin layer of whipped cream.

Repeat the layers until only one layer of the cookies is on the top. Then cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining whipped cream. Refrigerate several hours. 8 servings.


Chocolate cherry terrine

1 cup mascarpone cheese
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups morello cherries in syrup
Kirsch to taste (optional)
1 9-ounce box chocolate wafer cookies
10 maraschino cherries with stems for garnish

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine the mascarpone, whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla and beat to soft peaks. Cover and chill until ready to use.

Drain the morello cherries in a strainer and reserve the juice. Add a little kirsch to the syrup if desired.

Line a 10-by-4 1/2-by-3-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap. Cover the bottom with a layer of overlapping chocolate wafers -- about 12. Drizzle the cookies with about 1/4 cup of the cherry syrup. Spread 1/2 cup of the mascarpone mixture evenly over the cookies. Top with half the drained cherries and spread another cup of the cheese mixture over them.

Top with about 12 more cookies and drizzle heavily with the syrup. Spread another 1/2 cup of the cheese mixture over the cookies, top with the remaining cherries and spread with another cup of the cheese. Add the remaining cookies and drizzle heavily with syrup.

Cover the pan with plastic wrap and chill for 8 hours or overnight. Cover the remaining cheese mixture and place in the refrigerator.

Invert the loaf pan onto a serving plate. Lift off the pan and plastic wrap. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a star tip with the remaining cheese mixture and pipe a decorative squiggle down the center. Garnish with the stem cherries. 10 servings

Saw them today at Cub Foods on Elston at the far end of aisle 7 with the ice cream cones. Had quite a few boxes on the shelf.

I must say that this thread has me jonesing for the icebox cake. I've sent a note off to Mom saying that we must make it sometime this summer. I also quite enjoyed this article: http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/04/09/ ... box001.cfm
Apparently a lot of people have nostalgic cravings for it!

Regarding the community cookbooks...I've found that used booksales are great places to find older ones. They can usually be had for a buck or two. Oh to have unlimited bookshelf space! It's actually sort of disappointing that groups like the Junior League have gone absolutely upscale in their cookbooks. Some are absolutely spectacular (hardcover, beautiful photos, recipe testing, etc.) but in turn they've lost some of their community charm and instead resemble most other professional-produced $20 or $30 cookbooks you'd buy. Two decades from now I'm unlikely to be interested in buying them at used book sales.

If only I'd known to check with the ice cream cones, I would've saved myself trips to 4 different grocery stores...

On the other hand, I've never tried this icebox cake before (not a standard in the Korean repetoire, you see ), and now I've got to try it. So maybe it was worth the search and the posting after all!

Now I've got to go smash up some of the wafer as the first step to making the luscious mini black-bottom cheesecakes that they were bought for...

Thanks again everyone!

Wow am I glad I found you guys!

I have a Pampered Chef recipe for a chocolate cake made with these cookies. I couldn't figure out what they meant by chocolate wafer cookies, I ended up using chocolate "sugar" wafers! The cake came out great anyways.

I wanted to make the cake again, and found this forum. And, no big surprise, I found it (the cookies!) with the ice cream toppings! After all these years. lol

Thanks!

I once sent Mr. X out to pick up the Famous Chocolate wafers when I was in the middle of a baking frenzy. My instructions to him were "get the chocolate wafers that are by the ice cream aisle." He came back with the chocolate sugar wafers by the ice cream aisle. I couldn't fault him for following instructions. Although my instructions were clear, I was not clear in describing what the product was. And, it turned out Devon Market did not carry the wafers I sought. I ended up at a Dominick's nearby and the baking frenzy continued.

In a pinch, I have on a couple of occasions simply mixed a couple of heaping tablespoons of dark cocoa powder into vanilla wafer crumbs. But that's only helpful if you're using the cookies for a crumb crust.

I haven't thought about those cookies for decades, but my mom used to make a dessert for parties that consisted of individual stacks of these chocolate cookies -- usually fiver per person -- that had been stacked with softened mint chocolate chip ice cream and then refrozen. They were always a hit.

Makes me wonder -- is there a thread about things we used to eat but don't any more?