Impressed by the Italian traditional baci di dama, pastry chef Pichet Ong’s model is made with Hawaiian macadamia nuts. The recipe has extra dry elements than regular as a result of increased moisture and fats content material of the nuts, which additionally leads to a decrease quantity of sugar.
You’ll be able to substitute an all-purpose gluten-free flour mix with out altering the flavour or texture of the cookie. For chocolate-flavored cookies, embody the cocoa powder within the dough (or divide the dough in half and use half the quantity of cocoa powder to have a few of every sort of cookie).
This recipe makes double the quantity of ganache you will most likely want for filling the sandwiches. You need to use the additional to make one other batch of cookies or to make truffles — merely roll into balls and coat together with your alternative of toppings, akin to cocoa powder, crushed freeze-dried berries and/or finely chopped nuts, earlier than refrigerating. You can even halve the ganache recipe.
Should you’d relatively not make the ganache (although we extremely advocate you do), you may fill the sandwich cookies with melted chocolate or a chocolate unfold, akin to Nutella.
Lively time: 1 hour 30 minutes; Whole time: 5 hours, plus optionally available in a single day relaxation
Make Forward: The ganache must relaxation at room temperature for at the least 3 hours, however ideally in a single day, to realize the very best texture for piping.
Storage Notes: The formed dough will be refrigerated for as much as 3 days. The baked cookies will be saved at room temperature in an hermetic container for as much as 3 days.
Servings:
24 sandwich cookies
Examined measurement: 24 sandwich cookies
Components
- For the ganache filling
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1 cup (240 milliliters) heavy cream, at room temperature
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1 tablespoon vanilla paste (could substitute 1 tablespoon vanilla extract)
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2 cups (280 grams) chopped bittersweet chocolate
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1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
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Juice of 1 lemon (3 to 4 tablespoons; finely zest first to avoid wasting for the cookies, under)
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3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter, softened
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1/2 teaspoon tremendous sea or desk salt
- For the cookies
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1 1/4 cups (170 grams) complete macadamia nuts or halves
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1 2/3 cups (205 grams) all-purpose flour
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1 2/3 cups (205 grams) cornstarch
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2 tablespoons pure or Dutch-process cocoa powder (optionally available)
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1/4 cup (50 grams) turbinado sugar or sugar within the uncooked
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1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
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2 tablespoons packed gentle brown sugar
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1/2 teaspoon tremendous sea or desk salt
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Finely grated zest of 1 lemon (from above, about 1 teaspoon)
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16 tablespoons (2 sticks/226 grams) unsalted butter, softened and minimize into giant chunks
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3 tablespoons almond paste
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1 teaspoon vanilla paste (could substitute 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
Instructions
Make the ganache filling: In a liquid measuring cup, whisk collectively the cream and vanilla paste till totally mixed. Place the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl.
In a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium warmth, mix the granulated sugar and lemon juice and prepare dinner to a light-weight shade of caramel, about 328 levels. Flip off the burner and let the residual warmth proceed to prepare dinner the sugar till it’s a darker shade of caramel (you may even see a number of wisps of smoke, too), about 30 seconds. Take away from the burner and progressively add the cream combination in 3 to 4 additions, whisking after every addition. Take care, because the caramel will splatter.
Return the pot to medium warmth and convey the combination to a delicate simmer, scraping consistently to launch any hardened caramel on the backside of the pot. Pour the new caramel over the chocolate within the bowl. Let sit for 1 minute to melt the chocolate. Add the butter and salt and, utilizing a stick (immersion) blender, mix the combination right into a easy ganache.
Let the ganache sit till the combination is agency with a slight yield, like a ripe peach, at the least 3 hours, although the ganache is best to work with after an in a single day relaxation at room temperature. Should you’re letting it relaxation in a single day, cowl it after the primary few hours.
Make the cookies: Place a rack in the midst of the oven and preheat to 325 levels. Toast the macadamias on a rimmed baking sheet for about quarter-hour, or till wealthy golden and aromatic, shaking midway by way of. Switch the nuts to a bowl or reducing board to chill fully, then coarsely chop.
Line 2 giant, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk collectively the flour, cornstarch and cocoa powder, if utilizing. Add the turbinado sugar to a small bowl.
In a meals processor, pulse the toasted and cooled nuts with the granulated and brown sugars, salt and lemon zest till virtually finely floor however nonetheless a little bit coarse, 7 to 10 instances. Add the butter and almond and vanilla pastes and pulse 5 to eight instances, simply to mix. Switch to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Add half of the flour combination to the stand mixer bowl and blend on medium velocity till mixed. Cease the mixer, add the remaining flour combination and proceed mixing on medium simply till mixed, about 1 minute. Scrape the perimeters and the underside of the bowl and blend for 30 seconds extra. This can be accomplished by hand in a big (6-quart) bowl with a versatile spatula, protecting in thoughts you mainly need to knead the combination to make sure it is mixed (use your arms if needed).
Utilizing a No. 60 disher, portion cookies out into half dome shapes about 3/4-inch aside onto the ready baking sheets, scraping as you fill to flatten the underside. (A 1-tablespoon measuring spoon is another choice, however will probably be a little bit extra work.) Every bit needs to be about 22 grams, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter on the base. Easy the outside of the dough parts, as wanted, after which dip the domed finish into the turbinado sugar. Refrigerate the dough on the pans (or consolidate onto one should you’re tight on house) for at the least half-hour to agency up.
In the meantime, enhance the oven temperature to 375 levels. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, for 9 to 10 minutes, rotating from entrance to again midway by way of, till barely puffed and cracked. The plain dough can have some pale golden tones on prime. (If utilizing the optionally available cocoa, search for the cookies to be barely darkened on the underside.)
Match up the cookies in pairs, with halves as related in diameter as attainable. Pipe or unfold about 2 teaspoons of the ganache on the flat sides of half the cookies in order that the ganache virtually reaches the sting. Place the remaining cookies flat aspect down on their mate, gently urgent them collectively.
Let the cookie sandwiches sit for 1 hour for the ganache to agency up barely earlier than serving or storing.
Recipe Supply
From pastry chef Pichet Ong.
Examined by Becky Krystal.
Electronic mail inquiries to the Meals Part at meals@washpost.com.
