Gianduia Sandwich Cookies Chocolate Hazelnut Food

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread the hazelnuts on a small baking sheet and bake until lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Let cool. Transfer the hazelnuts to a resealable plastic bag and finely crush with a rolling pin.
• Whisk the crushed hazelnuts with the flour, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the egg, then the milk, then the hazelnut liqueur, beating well after each addition. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour mixture until just combined (the consistency will be more like a thick batter than a cookie dough).
• Transfer the dough to a large resealable plastic bag. Cut a 1/2-inch opening at one corner. Pipe 1-inch mounds about 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared pans. Tap each pan on the counter a few times to flatten the mounds slightly. Sprinkle half of the mounds with coarse sugar (these will be the tops).
• Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are flattened and the edges are golden, 18 to 22 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes on the pans, then transfer to racks to cool completely. Sandwich the chocolate-hazelnut spread between the cookies.

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT SANDWICH COOKIES (BACI DI DAMA)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter and powdered sugar. Beat on medium speed until pale, light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract, salt and egg. Beat again for 1 minute. Add the flour and hazelnut flour and mix on low until just combined.
• Using a very small ice cream scoop or just scant of 2-teaspoon portions, portion the cookie dough mounds. Roll each one into a small ball in your hand, then place on the baking sheet at least 1 inch apart from each other. The dough should yield about 44 cookies. Bake for 11 to 12 minutes or until just set and barely browned on the bottom. Remove from the oven to cool completely to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, add the chocolate chips to a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until they are completely melted. Add the chocolate hazelnut spread and mix until completely combined. Allow to cool to room temperature so that it is not runny.
• Using either a piping bag or spoon, dollop just over a teaspoon of the chocolate hazelnut mixture onto the bottom side of half of the cookies. Allow the chocolate to slightly set for about 2 minutes before lightly pressing the second half of the cookie down on top. Allow the cookies to sit undisturbed until the chocolate has set, about 10 minutes.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat the mixture until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the cocoa powder, vanilla, salt and egg and beat again until smooth and combined. Add the flour, peanut butter chips and chocolate chips. Use a rubber spatula to stir until just mixed.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop out 2-inch balls of dough. Place 14 on each baking sheet. Bake, rotating halfway through, until the cookies are just set around the edges and the tops look dry, about 15 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes on the baking sheets. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
• When the cookies are completely cool, scoop a heaping tablespoon of the ice cream onto the flat side of one cookie. Top with another cookie and press together gently. Continue with the remaining cookies and ice cream, freezing the sandwiches as you go.

HAZELNUT & CHOCOLATE COOKIE SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 4. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment and set aside.
• Cream the butter with both sugars in a large mixing bowl using an electric whisk, then beat in the salt, egg and vanilla. Stir in the flour, bicarbonate of soda, chocolate and hazelnuts using a wooden spoon until well combined.
• Scoop the dough onto the baking sheets in 24 heaps, well spaced apart. Bake for 10-12 mins or until lightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheets. Spread 1 tsp of chocolate spread on the bottoms of half the cookies, then sandwich with the other halves. Will keep in a cake tin or airtight container for up to five days.

CHOCOLATE SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• Cookies: Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together until fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. With the machine running, gradually add the flour mixture until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips. Using a 1-ounce ice cream or cookie scoop, form 12 equal-sized pieces of dough onto each baking sheet. With damp hands, form the dough into balls. Flatten the tops of the dough slightly and bake until the tops of the cookies begin to crack slightly, about 14 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• Filling: In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and vanilla together until fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Color the frosting by mixing in the food coloring, 1 drop of at a time, until the desired color is reached. Add water, if needed, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, to make the consistency spreadable.
• Spread the frosting on the flat side of half of the cookies and put the remaining cookies on top. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the filling to stiffen slightly. Serve at room temperature.

HAZELNUT-ESPRESSO SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in the egg, yolk, espresso granules and vanilla.
• Combine flour, salt and baking powder; gradually add to creamed mixture mixing well. Stir in hazelnuts.
• Divide dough into thirds; flatten each portion into a circle. Wrap each in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out one portion of dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut with a floured 1 1/2 inch cookie cutter; place 1/2 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Bake at 375* for 6-8 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.
• FOR FILLING: in small saucepan, bring cream to boil. Remove from heat; stir in milk chocolate chips and 3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips until melted. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours or until filling reaches spreading consistency, stirring occasionally.
• Spread filling over the bottom of half of the cookies; top with remaining cookies. Melt remaining semisweet chocolate chips; drizzle over cookies.
• Let stand until set. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator.

TORTA ALLA GIANDUIA (CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT CAKE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
• Prepare a 9-inch springform pan: grease and line with parchment or wax paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs whites and salt until stiff but not dry (this means that they will hold their peaks, yet still appear glossy and smooth).
• In a separate bowl, beat the butter and Nutella together, then add Frangelico (or what you have chosen to use), egg yolks, and ground hazelnuts.
• Fold in the cooled, melted chocolate, then lighten the mixture with a dollop of egg white, which you can beat in as roughly as you want, before gently folding the rest of them in a third at a time.
• Pour into the prepared pan and cook for 40 minutes or until the cake's beginning to come away at the sides, then let cool on rack.
• Toast the hazelnuts in a dry frying pan until the aroma wafts upward and the nuts are golden brown in parts: keep shaking the pan so they don't burn on one side and stay too pallid on others.
• Transfer to a plate and let cool.
• This is imperative: if they go on the ganache while hot, it'll turn oily (believe me I speak from experience).
• In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, add the cream, liquer or water, and chopped chocolate and heat gently.
• Once the chocolate's melted, take the pan off the heat and whisk until it reaches the right consistency to ice just the top of the cake.
• Unmold the cooled cake carefully, leaving it on the base as it will be too difficult to get such a damp cake off in one piece.
• Ice the top with the chocolate icing, and dot thickly with the whole, toasted hazelnuts.
• If you have used Frangelico, put shot glasses on the table and serve it with the cake.

GIANDUIA (GIANDUJA) (NUTELLA) (CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT SPREAD)

Steps:

• Heat an oven to 150c (300f)
• Roast the hazelnuts for about 7 minutes and then roll them together between a teatowel to remove the skins, if you cannot get the skin off some you may need to bake them a little more but do not burn them, it is important to get almost all of the skin off the nuts.
• In either a coffee blender, spice blender, small food processor or blender add the skinned nuts and blend until you have a very fine powder, the more fine the better.
• Add in the oil and powdered sugar and blend thoroughly.
• Melt the chocolate either in a double boiler, or a microwave at 50% power for 1 minute, stirring and remicrowaving for 30 seconds at a time until it is completely melted.
• Add the hazelnut mix to the chocolate mix and stir in thoroughly, the mix will keep in the fridge for several weeks.

GIANDUIA SANDWICH COOKIES (CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Mix 1/2 cup Nutella and the egg with an electric mixer until well combined. Slowly add 1 cup of flour until a wet dough is formed. Transfer the dough to a flour-dusted board.
• Knead gently, adding a bit more flour if necessary; dough will be sticky. Roll dough into 18 balls, flouring your hands as needed to make rolling easier. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet, several inches apart.
• Bake 12 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes. Split cookies in half horizontally using a sharp, serrated knife (see note below). Spread bottom with 1 teaspoon Nutella, replace top and press firmly. Let cool completely. Store in a tightly covered tin.
• Note on flour: I didn't have self-rising cake flour, so I mixed 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt with regular cake flour before adding it.
• Note on splitting the cookies: I had a problem with a couple of the cookie tops breaking a bit when I first started cutting them. I then tried it this way and had no more problems: turn the cookie on its side and carefully score the entire outside edge while turning it like a wheel, then gently cut the rest of the way through the middle.