Modern Bakers: Chocolate Sandwich Cookies (with milk chocolate filling)

For this round of the Modern Bakers, it was decided that we'd skip to the cookies chapter, given that the season of baking Christmas treats was upon us, and pretty much everyone bakes cookies in December anyway. It's hardly a surprise that I chose the Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Milk Chocolate Filling. It was really a no-brainer.

The dough for the cookies themselves was not the easiest to work with. I had to really work it over with my hands in order to make it pliable. It was quite crumbly, and quick to tear. So I found that allowing it to soften after it was chilled was necessary, and I took great care to ensure that my rolling pin was well floured to prevent the tears and clumps of dough from sticking onto the pin. Be patient with it, and don't press too hard when rolling. That's my advice. 

After it was rolled and cut, it was necessary to use a very thin metal spatula to get the cut cookie off the work surface without breaking it and I would therefore urge to use a well-floured work surface, or roll it on parchment as I did. I refrigerated the cut cookies for about 10 minutes before baking them off to preserve the shape. The recipe says to bake for 15 to 20 minutes. I figured that I was erring on the side of caution by taking them out at 15 minutes, and found them over-baked. They actually tasted burnt. Thankfully, I hadn't put all the cookies in at the same time and only wasted about 1/3 of the batter. 10 minutes was plenty, so watch them closely, as chocolate cookies are harder to judge because of their brown color. 

 

Now, can we talk about the filling? Cream, melted milk chocolate and softened butter are whisked together to form the most amazing, rich and silky filling. Ever. I would have happily eaten the filling on its own with a spoon, it's that good. 

I pulled out all the stops for this one and used the last of my good milk chocolate. It was well worth it. 

Once the cream and melted chocolate are cooled, you whisk in the softened butter and then allow the mixture to sit until it reaches a spreadable consistency. 

These cookies are more work than your average cookie for sure, but I don't think you'll be disappointed. The cookies themselves aren't overly sweet, which complements the filling perfectly. They're great for kids and adults alike.

If you're looking for a great Christmas gift for someone in your life who loves to bake, I would definitely recommend this one. I have more than my share of cook books, and this is one of the few that I would refuse to part with. You can buy the Modern Bakers Cookbook here.