Chocolate Hazelnut Sandwich Cookies Recipe 445

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread the hazelnuts on a small baking sheet and bake until lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Let cool. Transfer the hazelnuts to a resealable plastic bag and finely crush with a rolling pin.
• Whisk the crushed hazelnuts with the flour, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the egg, then the milk, then the hazelnut liqueur, beating well after each addition. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour mixture until just combined (the consistency will be more like a thick batter than a cookie dough).
• Transfer the dough to a large resealable plastic bag. Cut a 1/2-inch opening at one corner. Pipe 1-inch mounds about 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared pans. Tap each pan on the counter a few times to flatten the mounds slightly. Sprinkle half of the mounds with coarse sugar (these will be the tops).
• Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are flattened and the edges are golden, 18 to 22 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes on the pans, then transfer to racks to cool completely. Sandwich the chocolate-hazelnut spread between the cookies.

HAZELNUT SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In a food processor, pulse hazelnuts with 1/4 cup flour mixture until very finely ground. Add remaining flour mixture and process to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg yolks and vanilla and pulse until dough just comes together. Form dough into 2 disks, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out dough between floured parchment paper to 1/8-inch thickness. Stack dough in parchment on a baking sheet; refrigerate until firm, 30 minutes. With a lightly floured 2 1/2-inch fluted round cutter, cut out dough. (If dough becomes too soft, refrigerate a few minutes; reroll scraps, if desired.) Place cookies, 1 inch apart, on two parchment-lined baking sheets. With a 1-inch cutter, cut out dough in centers of half the cookies. Bake until cookies just begin to brown at edges, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. If desired, bake small cutouts separately, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool completely.
• Lightly sift confectioners' sugar over cutout tops. Spread about 2 teaspoons chocolate or jam on bottoms of remaining cookies and sandwich with sugar-dusted tops.

HAZELNUT-ESPRESSO SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in the egg, yolk, espresso granules and vanilla. Combine the flour, salt and baking powder; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in hazelnuts. , Divide dough into thirds; flatten each portion into a circle. Wrap separately; refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle., On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 portion of dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 1-1/2-in. cookie cutter; place 1/2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough; chill and reroll scraps. , Bake at 375° for 6-8 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. , For filling, place 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Refrigerate until filling reaches spreading consistency, about 1-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally., Spread filling over the bottoms of half of the cookies; top with remaining cookies. In a microwave, melt remaining 1 cup semisweet chips; stir until smooth. Drizzle over cookies. Let stand until set. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• Top half of the cookies with chocolate-hazelnut spread. Top with a second cookie to make a sandwich.

HAZELNUT-ESPRESSO SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in the egg, yolk, espresso granules and vanilla.
• Combine flour, salt and baking powder; gradually add to creamed mixture mixing well. Stir in hazelnuts.
• Divide dough into thirds; flatten each portion into a circle. Wrap each in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out one portion of dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut with a floured 1 1/2 inch cookie cutter; place 1/2 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Bake at 375* for 6-8 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.
• FOR FILLING: in small saucepan, bring cream to boil. Remove from heat; stir in milk chocolate chips and 3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips until melted. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours or until filling reaches spreading consistency, stirring occasionally.
• Spread filling over the bottom of half of the cookies; top with remaining cookies. Melt remaining semisweet chocolate chips; drizzle over cookies.
• Let stand until set. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator.