CHOCOLATE SANDWICH COOKIES, Healthier, Make-ahead

These light & luscious cookies are pretty and pretty delicious

'Exactly the right level of crunchiness and cream; you realize the difference between home-made and shop bought.' 'I like them; they're more-ish.'  Tasters

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies are light and beautifully sandy with a cloud-like filling of white chocolate ganache.  Not only are they gorgeously yummy, they're full of surprises.  

Lightly spiced with almost-not-there cinnamon and nutmeg, they're made entirely from wholemeal flour, adding healthy fibre.  And the melting crispiness is due to the addition of a grated cooked egg yolk! 

On their own, the biscuits are not very sweet; filling them is recommended.  If there isn't time for ganache, try a light layer of instant low-sugar fruit compote or low-sugar jam. Buttercream icing will also do but adds sugar.     

The dough can be kept in the fridge overnight but rest at room temperature 10 mins before rolling.  The cookies can be baked one day ahead and filled before serving.
  
Daisy cookie cutters are not necessary; scone cutters will be fine.   

O

Cost: £2'ish

Makes: 40 single/20 double, using a 2 1/2inch/6 1/2 cm cookie cutter 

Ingred:

7 oz/198 gm whole wheat flour
2oz/56g cocoa, not drinking chocolate

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp dried ginger 
1/2 tsp dried cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

5 oz/142gr softened butter 

1 oz/28gm lower fat cream cheese

3 1/2 oz/100gm 50-50 mix of brown & white sugar 

1 cooked egg yolk, grated

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla

    Ganache
    4 oz/115gm white cooking chocolate
    90 ml double cream 
    1/2 tsp vanilla
  

Method: 

1. Mix dry ingred 
2. Beat butter, sugar, cream cheese & grated cooked egg yolk at high speed until light & fluffy, about 3 mins, or 10 mins by hand
3. Add raw egg; beat till blended
4. On low speed, gradually add dry ingred until well combined
5. Shape into a flat disc; wrap in cling film; refrigerate  at least 1 hour or overnight
6. Pre-heat oven to 350f/180c/160fan//gas 4; line baking tray with greaseproof paper
7. Allow dough to rest 10 mins; roll between two pieces of greaseproof paper.  Aim for a thickness of 1/4in/1/2cm (thinner and the cookies may burn at the edges)
8. Cut out cookies; re-rolling scraps; cut a daisy shaped hole in the middle of half of the cookies  (A fish slice will probably be useful for transferring the cookies to the baking tray)
9. Bake 1 inch apart 10 mins 
10. Cool on a baking tray a few mins before transferring to a cooling rack 
11. Cool completely before filling generously with whipped ganache 

Ganache: 

1. Chop chocolate finely; set aside
2. Heat cream in a small heavy bottomed saucepan; don't let it boil.  When steam starts rising and tiny bubbles appear at the outer edge of the cream, it is ready.
3. Turn heat off; add chocolate in stages, whisking each time, making sure the previous addition has melted into the cream before adding the next; when all is incorporated  pour into a heatproof bowl & clingfilm.  
4. Allow to cool a little; refrigerate at least a couple of hours
5. When ganache has begun to firm add vanilla; beat with electric beaters until thick and soft-textured

Tips:

• 67 was not sure about recommending this recipe for kids to make; the dough is a bit fiddly to roll and the final product can look a bit wonky.  But they are so nice to eat.  Perhaps there's a life lesson here: aim for the best but don't worry if the result isn't perfect -- there are always compensations
• a set of 8 daisy cookie cutters are £5 from Amazon

Comments:

'Wow; they look like shop biscuits but show up the difference between home-made and shop-bought. They're good with the right level crunchiness and cream.' Mature political agent.

'I like these; they're more-ish.  They're like a winter biscuit which give a nice warm feeling.' 20+ fundraiser & designer

                                                                                          Inspired by Cooking Light by Sidney Fry

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This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.