Hazelnut Espresso Sandwich Cookies Food

HAZELNUT-ESPRESSO SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in the egg, yolk, espresso granules and vanilla. Combine the flour, salt and baking powder; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in hazelnuts. , Divide dough into thirds; flatten each portion into a circle. Wrap separately; refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle., On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 portion of dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 1-1/2-in. cookie cutter; place 1/2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough; chill and reroll scraps. , Bake at 375° for 6-8 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. , For filling, place 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Refrigerate until filling reaches spreading consistency, about 1-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally., Spread filling over the bottoms of half of the cookies; top with remaining cookies. In a microwave, melt remaining 1 cup semisweet chips; stir until smooth. Drizzle over cookies. Let stand until set. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

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.

HAZELNUT ESPRESSO COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in espresso powder.
• With mixer on low speed, beat in flour mixture until incorporated. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, mix in hazelnuts.
• Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto three baking sheets, 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake, first two sheets together, until golden, about 12 minutes, rotating sheets front to back and from top to bottom halfway through. Repeat with remaining sheet. Cool cookies on sheets 2 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve, or store in an airtight container up to 3 days.

ITALIAN HAZELNUT ESPRESSO SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend flour, brown sugar, cornstarch, 1 tablespoon espresso powder and salt in processor. Add butter and vanilla. Using on/off turns, process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add nuts; blend until finely chopped. Transfer dough to floured work surface. Knead just until dough comes together.
• Divide dough in half. Press each half into 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Bake until deep golden brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer shortbread to rack; cool 2 minutes. Remove pan sides.
• Cut each shortbread round into 24 wedges. Cool completely.
• Mix 2 tablespoons hot water and remaining 1 teaspoon espresso powder in small saucepan. Add chocolate. Stir over medium-low heat until chocolate is smooth. Remove from heat. Cool slightly. Drizzle chocolate mixture over cookies. Let stand until chocolate sets. (Can be prepared ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week, or freeze up to 1 month.)

HAZELNUT SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In a food processor, pulse hazelnuts with 1/4 cup flour mixture until very finely ground. Add remaining flour mixture and process to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg yolks and vanilla and pulse until dough just comes together. Form dough into 2 disks, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out dough between floured parchment paper to 1/8-inch thickness. Stack dough in parchment on a baking sheet; refrigerate until firm, 30 minutes. With a lightly floured 2 1/2-inch fluted round cutter, cut out dough. (If dough becomes too soft, refrigerate a few minutes; reroll scraps, if desired.) Place cookies, 1 inch apart, on two parchment-lined baking sheets. With a 1-inch cutter, cut out dough in centers of half the cookies. Bake until cookies just begin to brown at edges, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. If desired, bake small cutouts separately, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool completely.
• Lightly sift confectioners' sugar over cutout tops. Spread about 2 teaspoons chocolate or jam on bottoms of remaining cookies and sandwich with sugar-dusted tops.

HAZELNUT ESPRESSO FINGERS IN CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Place hazelnuts in a food processor; cover and process until ground. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in espresso powder and vanilla. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in hazelnuts., Shape scant tablespoonfuls of dough into 2-in. logs. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 9-11 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool completely., In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip each cookie halfway into chocolate mixture, allowing excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set. Store in an airtight container.