Citrus Sandwich Cookies

🧂 Ingredients

• 1½ ounces (42g) semisweet chocolate

  finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons (45 mL) heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon finely grated orange zest
• 1½ cups + 2 tablespoons (200g) unbleached all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 oz (115g) unsalted butter

  softened
• ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon grated orange zest
• ¼ teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon whole or low fat milk
• 1¼ teaspoon pure anilla extract
• 2 drops red food coloring

  optional
• 6 drops yellow food coloring

  optional

Instructions

• 1 Prepare and Chill Ganache Filling: Place the finely chopped chocolate in a
  heat-proof bowl. Heat the cream in the microwave in 10 second intervals until
  almost boiling. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and allow to sit
  undisturbed for 30 seconds.
• 2 Whisk the chocolate and cream together until shiny and very smooth. Stir in the
  orange zest. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow mixture to chill in the
  fridge for 45 minutes to an hour or until firm enough to spread.
• 3 Prepare Cookie Dough: Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl
  and whisk together. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle
  attachment, combine the sugar, orange zest, and lemon zest. Rub the zests into
  the sugar until very fragrant. Add the softened butter to the bowl. Beat the
  sugar and butter together over medium speed until creamy.
• 4 Over low speed, add the egg yolk, milk, vanilla extract, and food coloring (if
  using) and beat until just incorporated, scraping the bowl down with a spatula
  if needed. With the mixer over low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the
  wet ingredients, beating until just absorbed. Scrape down the bowl and divide
  the dough in half.
• 5 Place each portion of dough between two sheets of wax paper. Using a rolling
  pin, roll the dough until it is ⅛ to ¼-inch thick. Chill the dough in the
  refrigerator for 30 to 45 minutes or until very cold and firm. If the dough is
  warm, it will not cut cleanly and the cookies will spread in the oven during
  baking.
• 6 Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center position. Line a
  half sheet pan with parchment paper or a Silpat. Set aside.
• 7 Working with one sheet of chilled dough at a time, peel away the top layer of
  wax paper. Replace with a clean sheet of wax paper and flip the dough over -
  discarding the original bottom sheet of wax paper. Using a 2-inch round cookie
  cutter, cut out cookies and transfer to the lined sheet pan, spacing the cookies
  apart by at least one inch. Repeat with the remaining sheet of rolled cookie
  dough. If the dough gets warm, refrigerate the cut out cookies for at least 10
  to 15 minutes before baking. They should be firm and chilled when you put them
  in the oven.
• 8 Bake the cookies for 8 to 9 minutes, or until the tops are just beginning to
  gain color. Set pan on a wire rack and allow the cookies to cool on the sheet
  pan for 5 to 10 minutes, then lift and transfer the cookies to a wire rack to
  cool completely. Note: Any leftover cookie dough scraps can be pressed together,
  layered between wax paper, rolled out, and chilled using the instructions above.
• 9 Add Filling and Assemble: Once the cookies have cooled completely, spread the
  bottom side of one cook with the thick chocolate ganache filling. Top with
  another cookie to create a sandwich. If needed, refrigerate the filled cookies
  for 10 to 15 minutes to set the filling. Leftover cookies can be layered between
  sheets of wax paper in a container and store in a cool kitchen for up to 4 days.

Nutrition Info