Chocolate-Caramel Sandwich Cookies
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- Pinch of salt
- 2 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 3/4 cups heavy cream
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Make the glaze In a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy.
- Beat in the egg.
- Sift the flour, cocoa and salt into the bowl and beat at low speed until the dough comes together, 2 minutes.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 2 or 3 times.
- Flatten into 2 disks, wrap in plastic and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
- Make the glaze Preheat the oven to 350.
- Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll out each disk of dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to a scant 1/4-inch thickness.
- Using a floured 1 3/4-inch round cookie cutter, stamp out as many rounds as possible; transfer to the baking sheets.
- Gather the scraps, reroll and stamp out as many cookies as possible.
- Bake the cookies for about 20 minutes, until puffed and set, shifting the baking sheets for even baking.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets.
- Make the glaze Oil the bottom and sides of a 9-inch-square cake pan and line the bottom with a sheet of wax paper, long enough to reach 2 inches up 2 sides of the pan.
- In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar, cream, honey, corn syrup and vanilla seeds and bring to a boil.
- (Reserve the vanilla pod for another use.)
- Set a candy thermometer in the saucepan and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the temperature reaches 250.
- Remove from the heat.
- Remove the thermometer and stir in the butter.
- Pour the caramel into the prepared pan and let cool for 45 minutes.
- Make the glaze Lift the caramel out of the pan and transfer to a cutting board.
- Using a 1 1/4-inch round cookie cutter, stamp out rounds of caramel and sandwich them between the cookies, pressing gently to flatten slightly.
- Wrap any remaining caramel bits individually in wax paper and save for another use.
- Make the glaze Melt the chocolate with the butter in a double boiler.
- Line a baking sheet with wax paper.
- Dip the cookies halfway into the chocolate glaze, allowing any excess to drip back into the pot.
- Set the cookies on the wax paper and refrigerate for about 20 minutes, until just set.
- Transfer the cookies to a plate and serve.
butter, sugar, egg, flour, cocoa, salt, sugar, heavy cream, honey, light corn syrup, vanilla bean, unsalted butter, bittersweet chocolate, unsalted butter
Taken from www.foodandwine.com/recipes/chocolate-caramel-sandwich-cookies (may not work)