Recipe: Heavenly Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

HEAVENLY CHOCOLATE SANDWICH COOKIES

"Like their famous store-bought cousins, these rich little cream-filled cookies can be eaten whole or gently pulled apart so you can enjoy their middles first."

FOR THE COOKIES:
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 pound (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided use
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar (for the filling)

TO MAKE THE COOKIES:
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa and salt; set aside.

In a standing electric mixer fitted with a paddle, cream the 1 cup butter with the white granulated sugar until fluffy. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients at low speed. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead lightly. Pat the dough into an 8-inch square. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until very firm, at least 4 hours or overnight.

WHEN READY TO BAKE:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the dough into quarters; work with 1 piece at a time and keep the rest chilled. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to an 8-inch square about 1/3 inch thick. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough in quarters. Cut each square in quarters again.

Transfer the 16 square cookies to an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, or until firm. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining 3 pieces of dough.

TO MAKE THE FILLING:
In a large bowl, using a wooden spoon, beat the remaining 1/2 cup butter with the confectioners' sugar until thick and creamy.

Spread the underside of each of 32 cookies with 2 teaspoons of the filling. Top each with a second cookie to make a sandwich.

MAKE AHEAD:
The cookie dough can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 1 month.

Makes 32 cookies
Source: Food and Wine, March 2000