Double-Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

Double-Chocolate Sandwich Cookies (Adapted from Canadian Living)

For the dough

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup ground toasted almonds
1/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
heaping 1/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks or 3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

For the topping

1 ounce chopped bittersweet chocolate, melted

For the filling

3 ounces finely chopped dark chocolate
2 ounces finely chopped milk chocolate
1/3 cup whipping cream
pinch salt
4 teaspoons unsalted butter, softened

To prepare the dough

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, almonds, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, espresso powder and cinnamon.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugar until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs and vanilla until thoroughly combined. Toss half of the dry ingredients into the bowl and mix just until combined - add remaining half, mixing just until combined.

Evenly divide dough in half, then flatten each into a disc and wrap well in plastic wrap - chill until firm, at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Unwrap one disc of dough. On lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a scant 1/4" thickness. Using a 2 1/4" to 2 1/2" flower-shaped cookie cutter, cut out as many shapes as you can. Repeat process with remaining disc of dough. Gather together scraps and roll once more, chilling the dough first if necessary.

Using a 1/2" round or heart-shaped cookie cutter, stamp out the center of half of the cookies.

Place cookie tops and bottoms about 1" apart on parchment–lined baking sheets. Place into the freezer until firm, about 15 minutes.

Place cookies into the oven and bake, rotating halfway through, until slightly firm, about 12 minutes. Remove and allow cookies to stand for two minutes on the baking sheets before transferring them to wire rack to cool completely.

To prepare topping

Drizzle chocolate over the tops of cutout cookies (the cookies with the hole in the center). Set cookies aside and allow chocolate to set, about 30 minutes.

To prepare filling

Place dark and milk chocolate in a heat-safe bowl.

In a small saucepan, bring cream and salt just to a boil - pour over the chocolates, whisking until smooth. Whisk in butter.

Spread about 1 teaspoon of the warm filling onto each cookie bottom. Place chocolate-drizzled tops on filling and press gently to adhere. Let cookies sit about 30 minutes to allow filling to set before serving.

Makes about 22 sandwich cookies.

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