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Peppermint Patties

Source of Recipe


From "Big Fat Cookies" by Elinor Klivans






List of Ingredients



• -- For Cookies --
  
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-process preferred)
  
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
  
• 1/4 tsp salt
  
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  
• 1 cup sugar
  
• 1 large egg
  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
• .
  
• -- For Chocolate Coating --
  
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (1 cup)
  
• 1/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
  
• 1-1/2 Tbsp canola oil or corn oil
  
• .
  
• -- For Filling --
  
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  
• 2 cups powdered sugar
  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
  






Instructions



1. Make cookies:
   Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl and set aside. In large bowl, using electric mixer on low speed, beat butter and sugar until blended and lightened in color, about 2 minutes. Stop mixer and scrape sides of bowl as needed during mixing. Add egg and vanilla; mix until blended, about 1 minute. On low speed, add flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated and batter looks smooth. Cover and refrigerate dough about 20 minutes.
   
   
2. Position rack in middle of oven. Preheat to 325° F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll heaping tablespoons (3 level tablespoons each) dough between palms of hands into smooth 1-1/2-inch balls. Place 3-1/2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using palm of hand, flatten cookies to 2-1/2- to 3-inch rounds. Bake cookies, one sheet at a time, until tops feel firm and look dull, about 15 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets 5 minutes, then use wide spatula to transfer to wire cooling rack. Cool completely.
   
   
3. Make chocolate coating:
   Place semisweet and unsweetened chocolate and oil in top of double boiler and place over, but not touching, barely simmering water. Stir until chocolate melts and is smooth. Remove from water and let chocolate cool and thicken slightly, about 20 minutes.
   
   
4. Spoon chocolate coating over top of half of cookies, using about 1 tablespoon per cookie. Use back of spoon to spread chocolate evenly and coat them completely. If some chocolate drizzles over cookie edges, that is fine. Let cookies sit at room temperature until chocolate is firm. Or, speed up the process by refrigerating about 20 minutes.
   
   
5. Make filling:
   In large bowl using electric mixer on low speed, beat butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and peppermint extract until smoothly blended, about 1 minute. The filling will be quite thick. Turn plain cookies bottom-side up. Spoon a well-rounded tablespoon of filling into center of each, carefully place bottom of chocolate-coated cookie on filling, and gently press cookie to spread filling into even layer. Filling will not reach edges. Wrap each cookie in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Serve cold. Wrapped cookies can be stored in refrigerator up to 4 days.
   
   Makes 9 cookie sandwiches.