Recipe: MS Mocha cigars

MOCHA CIGARS WITH COFFEE CREAM
Makes about 4 dozen
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1/8 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped of seeds
6 large egg whites, room temperature
1 tablespoon heavy cream
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate
Coffee Cream (recipe follows)
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine sugar, flour, and salt in a bowl; make a well in the center. In another bowl, combine vanilla scrapings and butter. Add vanilla butter, egg whites, and cream to sugar mixture; combine. Using the large holes of a box grater, grate chocolate. Gently fold half the chocolate into batter; reserve remaining chocolate in a small bowl. Cover batter; chill at least 2 hours or overnight.
2. Trace a 4 1/2-inch circle onto a large, flexible plastic lid, such as one from a coffee can. Using scissors, cut lip from lid. Using a utility knife, cut out the traced circle to make a stencil.
3. Place a Silpat on work surface. Place stencil on Silpat. Using a spatula, spread about 2 teaspoons batter to fill circle. Repeat process, making three more circles. Remove stencil; transfer Silpat to baking sheet.
4. Transfer baking sheet to oven; bake 2 1/2 minutes. Rotate pan; bake 2 1/2 minutes more, or until golden brown. Working quickly, use a spatula to remove cookies from Silpat; roll each around the handle of a wooden spoon. Remove from spoon; let cool on wire rack. (If cookies harden before rolling, return tray to oven for 30 seconds or until pliable.)
5. Using a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch plain round pastry tip, fill with coffee cream. Pipe cream into one end of cookie until it is full. Dip each end in chocolate shavings; serve immediately. Store unfilled cookies in an airtight container up to 3 days.

COFFEE CREAM
Makes 4 1/2 cups
1/4 cup coffee-flavored liquor
1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine coffee liquor and espresso powder; stir to dissolve. Add cream and sugar; whisk until soft peaks form. Refrigerate up to 15 minutes before using.