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Chocolate Mint Sandwich Cookies




Source of Recipe


Internet


List of Ingredients




½ cup plus 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
1½ cups all-purpose flour
5 Tbsp. unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
Chocolate Mint Ganache (See recipe)
4 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped
Green paste food coloring (optional)
peppermint candies, crushed (optional)



Recipe



In a medium bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat well; beat in the vanilla.

Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add half of flour mixture to butter-sugar mixture, stirring until mostly incorporated. Mix in remaining flour mixture, making sure there are no pockets of flour in dough. Divide dough into 2 portions; place each on a piece of plastic wrap. Use wrap to help form the portions into flat disks; wrap each disk securely. Chill dough at least 4 hours or up to 3 days. (Dough may be frozen at this point for up to 3 months. Cover with foil or place in a freezer bag. Defrost dough in the refrigerator overnight.)

Line at least 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or grease them. Remove 1 portion of dough from refrigerator and allow it to warm just enough to roll out. On a lightly floured surface, and using just enough dusting flour to keep the dough from sticking, roll out dough to a thickness of 1/8 inch to ¼ inch. Brush any excess flour from the surface of the dough. Using a plain or fluted 2- to 2½-inch star-shaped cookie cutter dipped in flour, cut as many cookies as possible from the dough. Transfer the cookies to the prepared sheets, spacing them 1½ to 2 inches apart. Pat scraps of dough together and re-roll; cut as many cookies as possible, repeating this process and chilling in between if necessary. Chill filled baking sheets at least 10 minutes, or until cookies are firm. Meanwhile, roll and cut remaining portion of dough. Chill the cookies from this portion while the first cookies are baking.

Bake in center of a 350° oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until centers are just firm and edges are just beginning to visibly darken. Cool for 2 minutes, then transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely before filling or storing. (Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.) Repeat with the remaining sheets of cookies.

To assemble sandwich cookies: Spread a generous tablespoon of Chocolate Mint Ganache on a chocolate cookie; top with a second cookie, right-side up. Repeat until all the cookies are sandwiched. Bring a small amount of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Meanwhile, place the chopped white chocolate in a heat-proof bowl wide enough to sit snugly over the mouth of the pan, with little or no bowl overhanging the edge. Turn off the heat under the pan of water, and place the bowl of chocolate over the pan. Allow chocolate to melt, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate in a microwave on medium-low power in 15-second increments, stirring often. If desired, remove a portion of the melted white chocolate and tint with green food coloring. Transfer melted chocolate to a heavy self-sealing plastic bag. Snip off a small corner of the bag.

Pipe warm white chocolate over cookies. They are best assembled the day they are to be eaten, but all the components can be prepared ahead of time. Assembled cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 days. Makes 24 to 27 sandwich cookies.

CHOCOLATE MINT GANACHE: Place 8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped, in a heat-proof bowl. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring 1 cup whipping cream slowly to the scalding point, just at the boil. Immediately remove cream from heat and pour over chocolate. Stir gently until smooth, then stir in ¼ to ½ teaspoon peppermint extract. Allow ganache to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until spreadable, or until needed. (Ganache can be made up to 4 days in advance. Before using, let refrigerated ganache sit at room temperature until spreadable.)