Recipe: Chocolate Bar Cookie Torte

CHOCOLATE BAR COOKIE TORTE

FOR THE VANILLA COOKIE LAYERS:
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, unsifted
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
7 tbsp buttermilk
FOR THE CHOCOLATE BAR CREAM FILLING:
1 tsp unflavored gelatin
5 tbsp cold water
2 (8 oz each) milk chocolate bars, divided use
1 cup heavy cream
FOR THE GLOSSY CHOCOLATE BAR GLAZE:
1 to 2 tbsp water

TO MAKE THE VANILLA COOKIE LAYERS:
Combine sugar, brown sugar, and butter in a lg mixer bowl. Add egg and vanilla; blend well. Combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt; add alternately with buttermilk to creamed mixture. Measure batter by level 1/2 cupfuls onto lightly greased baking sheet (2 cookies per sheet). With spatula spread evenly into 6-inch circles, 3-inches apart.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 7-8 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from baking sheet onto racks and cool completely. Chill while preparing filling.

Makes 6 large cookies, 7-inches in diameter.

TO MAKE THE CHOCOLATE BAR CREAM FILLING:
Sprinkle gelatin onto cold water in saucepan; allow to soften a few minutes.

Place over medium heat and stir until gelatin is dissolved.

Remove from heat; add 1 1/2 chocolate bars, broken in pieces (reserve remaining 1/2 of a chocolate bar for the glaze.) Stir until chocolate is completely melted (return to low heat a few minutes if chocolate is slow melting.) Cool to lukewarm (about 10 minutes).

Whip cream until stiff. Gradually add whipped cream to chocolate mixture, blending carefully. Chill about 1 hour or until filling begins to set.

TO ASSEMBLE:
Alternate layer cookies and 1/2 cupfuls of filling per layer, beginning and ending with cookie. Spoon Glossy Chocolate Bar Glaze onto top of torte. Refrigerate until served.

TO MAKE THE GLOSSY CHOCOLATE BAR GLAZE:
Melt chocolate bar with 1 tbsp water in top of double boiler over warm water; stir to blend well. Add remaining tbsp water as needed to spreading consistency.

Source: Newspaper Clipping