Recipe: Stroopwafels with Caramel Cinnamon or Chocolate Hazelnut Filling (cookies)

STROOPWAFELS
"These caramel-cinnamon treats, native to the Netherlands, elevate the term "sandwich cookie" to new heights. To serve them as they do in Amsterdam, set a cookie atop your mug of steaming coffee; it will act as a lid to keep the coffee warm and will soften a bit in the process. Note: You must have a pizzelle (or krumkake, or waffle cone) maker, preferably a "mini," to prepare these."


FOR THE BATTER:
1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter
3/4 cup (6 ounces) brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups (7 1/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
Caramel Cinnamon Filling (recipe follows)

Preheat a mini-waffle cone iron or mini-pizzelle iron. If you don t have a mini-iron, use a regular-sized one; your stroopwafels will just be larger than normal.

TO MAKE THE BATTER:
In a medium-sized bowl, or in a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter; let it cool slightly. Whisk in the brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder and stir into the butter mixture.

Drop the batter by the teaspoonful onto the lightly greased, heated iron. Close the lid and bake until golden brown. Irons vary, so try a test cookie first to determine baking time. Remove the cookie from the iron and place on a rack to cool completely before filling.

TO ASSEMBLE:
Place about 1/2 teaspoon of the Caramel Cinnamon Filling onto each cookie. Sandwich pairs of cookies, pressing them together to spread the filling. Be careful, as the caramel is very hot. If it cools too much, making it hard to spread, rewarm slightly. Store cookies in an airtight container.

CARAMEL CINNAMON FILLING

2 tablespoons (1 ounce) water
1 cup (8 ounces) brown sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick, 3 ounces) unsalted butter
1/4 cup (2 3/4 ounces) dark corn syrup
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a medium-sized saucepan set over low heat, combine the 2 tablespoons water, sugar, butter, and corn syrup, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Cover the pan and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes. Remove the lid and stir in the cinnamon. Boil until the syrup reaches the soft-ball stage, 234 degrees F to 240 degrees F. Remove from the heat and let cool for about 10 minutes.

Makes 32 sandwich cookies

VARIATION:

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT FILLING
"If you re one of those folks who think a cookie just isn t a cookie without chocolate, try this rich chocolate-hazelnut filling."

1/2 cup (about 5 ounces) praline paste
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped or, 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Melt the praline paste and chocolate together in a double boiler, or in a microwave on LOW power. Place about 1/2 teaspoon of the Chocolate Hazelnut Filling onto each cookie. Sandwich pairs of cookies, pressing them together gently. Allow to stand until the filling is set, several hours at (cool) room temperature or 2 to 3 hours in the refrigerator. Store cookies in an airtight container.

THAT RAINY DAY FEELING - HOW TO KEEP COOKIES CRISP:
Humid weather can wreak havoc with crisp cookies, especially ultrathin ones. To keep crisp cookies crisp, store them in an airtight container with a moisture absorber (sometimes called a cracker crisper). If unprotected cookies become soggy, lay them in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet and refresh them in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 5 to 10 minutes. (Thinner cookies will need less time, thicker, a little more.) Remove them from the oven and cool them on a rack; this process should restore them to their former splendor.

Source: The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion by King Arthur Flour