Shelly's Recipe

CHOCOLATE MINT COOKIE SANDWICHES

Category: Cookies

2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
Scant 3/4 cup superfine sugar
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup candied cherries, finely chopped
12 chocolate mint candies (such as Andes)
For the chocolate coating
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces
2 ounces white chocolate, broken into pieces

Put the butter and sugar into a bowl and mix well with a wooden spoon (I used an electric mixer). Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla extract. Sift together flour, cocoa and salt into the butter mixture, add cherries and stir. Halve the dough, shape into balls, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 to 60 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper to a little more than 1/4 inch thick. Use a 21/2-inch square cookie cutter to cut the dough in squares. Place cookies on prepared cookie sheets spaced well apart (2 inches or more). Bake 10 to 15 minutes, or until firm. Remove cookies from the pan and place on a cooling rack. Place a chocolate mint on top of half the cookies, then cover with remaining cookies. Press down gently and let cool.

For the chocolate coating, melt the semisweet chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat and let cool. Put a sheet of parchment paper under the cooling rack. Spoon the melted chocolate over cookies, then tap the rack to level the surface. Allow chocolate to set. Melt the white chocolate, remove from heat and cool. Pipe or drizzle over cookies. Allow cookies to set before storing.

Makes about 15 cookies.