Sparkling Vanilla Sandwich Cookie Food

SPARKLING VANILLA CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Steps:

• Tip the icing sugar, vanilla extract, egg yolk and butter into a mixing bowl, then stir together with a wooden spoon (or pulse in a food processor until well combined). Add the flour and mix to a firm dough. Shape the dough into two flat discs and wrap them. Chill for 20-30 mins. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5 and line two baking sheets with non-stick baking paper.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about the thickness of two £1 coins. Cut out Christmassy shapes (use a cutter if you like) and place on the baking sheets. Using the tip of a skewer, cut a small hole in the top of each cookie. Bake for 10-12 mins until lightly golden.
• Lift the biscuits onto a wire rack to cool. Meanwhile, mix the icing sugar with a few drops of cold water to make a thick, but still runny icing. Colour with edible food colouring, if you like. Spread it over the cooled biscuits, decorate with edible balls and thread with ribbon when dry.

SPARKLING VANILLA SANDWICH COOKIE

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and salt; mix to combine. Add evaporated milk, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean seeds, if using; mix to combine.
• Reduce speed to low; slowly add flour. Mix until just combined; do not overmix. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces and shape each piece into a disk. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Transfer to refrigerator and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with nonstick baking mats or parchment paper.
• Working with one disk at a time, form dough into 1-teaspoon-sized balls. Roll each ball in sanding sugar and place on prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Lightly dip the bottom of a drinking glass in flour and gently press down on ball to flatten slightly. Transfer baking sheets to oven and bake until puffy, but still soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool slightly on baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Using a small offset spatula, carefully spread about 1 teaspoon filling on the flat side of one cookie; top with another cookie to make a sandwich. Repeat process with remaining filling and cookies.

VANILLA-CHOCOLATE SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla; beat until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture in 2 batches, beating after each, until just incorporated. Divide the dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap; form into disks. Wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Make the filling: Bring the heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Pour over the chocolate in a medium bowl and let stand 2 minutes; stir until smooth. Set aside.
• Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out the dough between floured sheets of parchment paper until about 1/8 inch thick; chill 15 minutes. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Cut out circles with a 2-inch cutter; transfer to the baking sheets. Gather the scraps and refrigerate until firm; reroll once to cut out more cookies. Chill the cutouts 30 minutes.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until just golden, about 12 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
• Briefly beat the filling with a mixer on medium-high speed until thick, 30 seconds. Chill until cold, about 1 hour. Sandwich between the cookies and roll the edges in sprinkles.

CHOCOLATE SANDWICH COOKIES WITH VANILLA CREAM FILLING

Steps:

• Set rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
• In a food processor or the bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. On low speed, add the butter, then the egg and vanilla. Process or beat until the dough is thoroughly blended and massed together.
• Drop rounded half teaspoons of batter onto a non-stick cookie sheet at 2-inch intervals. With moistened fingers, round out the cookies and flatten them a little. Bake for 8 minutes, turning once for even baking, until the cookies are set. Cool on the pan on a rack.
• To assemble the cookies, place 1/2 of the cookies, top side down on a flat surface. Scrape the cream filling into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip. Pipe teaspoon sized rosettes of the filling on the tops of the cookies. Place the remaining cookies, top side up on top of the filling and lightly press to form sandwiches.
• Place the butter and shortening in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until combined. Gradually beat in the vanilla and confectioners' sugar at low speed until blended. Increase the speed to high and continue beating for 2 to 3 minutes until fluffy.;

GLITTERING LEMON SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• Make Cookies:
• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt.
• Beat together butter and confectioners' sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, then beat in zest and vanilla. At low speed, mix in flour mixture just until a soft dough forms.
• Put sanding sugars in different bowls. Roll a scant teaspoon of dough into a ball and drop into sugar, turning to coat. Reshape if necessary and transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat, spacing balls 3/4 inch apart, until baking sheet is filled.
• Bake until tops are slightly cracked but still pale (bottoms will be pale golden), 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer cookies on parchment to a rack to cool completely.
• Form and bake more cookies on second baking sheet.
• Make Filling and Sandwich Cookies:
• Beat together all filling ingredients in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until combined well. Transfer to sealable bag and snip off a corner.
• Turn over half of cookies and pipe about 1/2 teaspoon filling on flat side of each. Sandwich with remaining cookies, pressing gently.

VANILLA SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the cookie ingredients.
• Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls (ping pong ball-size) and place on a greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet. Make sure you have an even number of cookies. Smash the balls down just a bit.
• Bake for about 7-8 minutes. Take them out of the oven when the tops have cracked a little.
• Let them sit on the hot cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling.
• Make the filling: With a mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese. Add the vanilla. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
• Frost the underside of a cookie and place another cookie on top.
• Wrap individually in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.