Cocoa-Peanut Butter Heart-Shaped Sandwich Cookies
- 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter (do not use old-fashioned style or freshly ground)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Additional sugar
- 12 ounces imported milk chocolate (such as Lindt), finely chopped
- Additional powdered sugar
- 1 cup (about) strawberry jelly, whisked to loosen
- Whisk flour, cocoa and baking powder in small bowl to blend.
- Using electric mixer, beat butter, 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup powdered sugar in large bowl until well blended.
- Beat in egg, then peanut butter and vanilla.
- Add dry ingredients; beat until well blended.
- Divide dough into 4 pieces; flatten each into disk.
- Wrap dough in plastic; chill overnight.
- Position 1 rack in center and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375F.
- Butter 2 baking sheets.
- Sprinkle work surface generously with additional sugar.
- Place 1 dough disk atop sugar on work surface (dough will be soft; keep remainder refrigerated).
- Sprinkle top of dough with additional sugar.
- Roll out dough to generous 1/4-inch thickness, sprinkling with additional sugar as needed to prevent sticking.
- Using 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out cookies.
- Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
- Using small heart-shaped or round cookie cutter, make 1 hole in center of half of cookies.
- Gather dough scraps; reshape into disk and refrigerate.
- Bake cookies until puffed and beginning to crack on top, about 7 minutes.
- Using spatula, transfer cookies to rack; cool completely.
- Repeat rolling, cutting and baking with remaining dough disks and scraps.
- (Can be made 2 days ahead.
- Store between layers of waxed paper in airtight container.)
- Stir chopped milk chocolate in top of double boiler over barely simmering water until melted and smooth.
- Remove chocolate from over water.
- Sift additional powdered sugar over cookies with hole.
- Place 1 solid cookie, bottom side up, on work surface.
- Spread 1 teaspoon melted chocolate over.
- Spoon 1 scant teaspoon strawberry jelly atop chocolate in center.
- Immediately top with cookie with hole, placing hole over jelly and pressing gently to adhere (cookies are very tender).
- (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.
- Store in single layer in airtight container and refrigerate.
- Cookies may soften slightly.)
flour, cocoa, baking powder, unsalted butter, sugar, powdered sugar, egg, peanut butter, vanilla, sugar, milk chocolate, powdered sugar, strawberry jelly
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cocoa-peanut-butter-heart-shaped-sandwich-cookies-100494 (may not work)