IMITATION ORANGE MILANO COOKIES

FOR THE COOKIES:
12 Tbsp. butter, softened
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
7/8 cup egg whites (from about 6 eggs)
2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. lemon extract
1 1/2 cups flour
FOR THE FILLING:
1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream
8 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 orange, zested

TO MAKE THE COOKIES:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter with a paddle attachment then mix in the sugar. Add the egg whites gradually and then mix in the vanilla and lemon extracts. Add the flour, and mix until just incorporated.

With a small (1/4 inch) plain tip, use a pastry bag to pipe 1-inch sections of batter onto the parchment-lined sheet pan, spacing them 2 inches apart.

Bake in a preheated, 350-degree oven for 10 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges. Let cool on the pan.

TO MAKE THE FILLING:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, scald the cream. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate in a bowl. Whisk to melt chocolate, add zest and blend well. Set aside to cool (the mixture will thicken as it cools).

TO FILL THE COOKIES:
Spread a thin amount of the filling onto the flat side of a cookie while the filling is still soft and press the flat side of a second cookie on top. Repeat with the remainder of the cookies.

Makes about 3 dozen
Adapted from source: Gale Gand, Television Food Network