Folks who think the only way to improve on Girl Scout cookies is to accompany them with an ice-cold glass of milk have obviously never tasted one of the Sweet & Savory Bake Shop’s cookie-based creations.
Once again, the downtown Oxford bakery’s talent and inventiveness earned an award at the Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan’s Annual Cookie Gala held March 27 at DTE Energy World Headquarters in Detroit.
Co-owners Debbie Meyers and Scott Eschelbach walked away with the Girls? Choice Award for the dessert they created using the famous Thin Mint cookies.
‘We’re thrilled,? Meyers said. ‘I put a lot of thought into this competition. It’s an opportunity for me to create something on a plate, which I don’t normally get to do because we usually do carry-out desserts here.?
This year’s competition featured five well-known Metro Detroit restaurants, a food services provider, a culinary institute, a custom ice cream store, the Weight Watchers Group and Sweet & Savory, which was once again the only bakery.
As usual, the competitors were charged with creating delectable desserts and tantalizing appetizers using Girl Scout cookies as part of the recipe.
Sweet & Savory’s dessert consisted of a double-chocolate brownie made with Thin Mint cookies. The brownie was covered with a whipped chocolate ganache, which was then coated in French chocolate. It was garnished with a green-tinted white chocolate leaf with a Girl Scout Thin Mint ground up inside it.
The above creation is a take-off on one of Sweet & Savory’s signature desserts called Petit Mont de Joi, which is French for ‘Little Mountain of Joy.?
‘I made that up ? it’s not an official dessert anywhere,? Meyers said. ‘We usually do it with an almond macaroon and the whipped chocolate ganache and (French chocolate) glaze. It’s a really decadent, wonderful chocolate (treat) that we sell and people love. So, I just adapted it to this by making the brownie.?
Sweet & Savory’s dessert was selected by the scouts themselves, which made the award even more meaningful, according to these local sweet geniuses.
‘It was the most yummy thing they ever had,? Meyers said. ‘It’s layers and layers of chocolate and everybody loves the Thin Mint cookie.?
‘It’s crazy popular,? Eschelbach said.
This is the fourth year Sweet & Savory has entered this competition and the third time it’s walked away with an award.
‘We won the Girl Scout CEO Award the first year and then the People’s Choice Award the second year,? Meyers said.
When asked why they enter every year, Eschelbach said, ‘It’s a great organization and really just a great group of girls.?
‘Some of them have sold 15,000 boxes (of cookies),? he noted. ‘It’s pretty spectacular.?
‘They’re just amazing young ladies,? Meyers added.
The winning treat will be for sale to the public at Sweet & Savory’s 9 S. Washington St. location while supplies last.
‘We have some cases of cookies left,? Meyers said. ‘As long as we have the cookies, we can keep making it.?