Chocolate-Raspberry Truffle Sandwich Cookies – The Washington Post

These gluten-free chocolate sandwich cookies are an homage to the chocolate truffles that Taffy Elrod’s mom and grandmother purchased her as a particular Christmas current when she was a toddler. Right here, fudgy cookies are sandwiched round a silken ganache flavored with raspberry jam and raspberry liqueur.

Be at liberty to brighten the cookies with something that may persist with the melted chocolate, akin to mini chocolate chips, luster mud, sprinkles and even gold leaf.

When you’ve got any leftover ganache, roll it into balls and coat in cocoa powder, nuts or extra freeze-dried raspberry powder to make some very giftable truffles.

Lively time: 1 hour 30 minutes; Complete time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Make Forward: The ganache could be refrigerated in an hermetic container for as much as 1 week.

Storage Notes: Refrigerate in an hermetic container for as much as 1 week, or freeze, rigorously wrapped, for as much as 1 month.

The place to Purchase: Valrhona raspberry chocolate is accessible on-line.

Make the cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk collectively the cornstarch, cocoa powder, salt and allspice. Be certain that there aren’t any lumps.

In a microwave-safe bowl, warmth the darkish chocolate in 30-second bursts on HIGH till melted, stirring after every burst. (Alternatively, you possibly can soften the chocolate in a double boiler, or in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water.) Let the chocolate cool barely.

Within the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or utilizing a big bowl and hand mixer, beat the butter with the granulated and brown sugars on medium pace till absolutely mixed and light-weight in texture, 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the attachment and the bowl with a versatile spatula.

Add the eggs one after the other, beating on medium till included after every addition. Add the vanilla extract and blend once more on medium to include. Scrape down the edges and backside of the bowl.

Pour the melted chocolate into the bowl and blend on medium-high till absolutely mixed, 20 to 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl with the spatula to verify all of the substances are fully included.

Add the cornstarch combination and blend on low till the dry substances are fully included, then enhance the pace to medium and blend till a smooth dough types, about 1 minute. The dough ought to look shiny and resemble brownie batter.

Cowl and refrigerate the dough for half-hour.

Make the ganache: Whereas the cookie dough cools, place the chopped darkish chocolate in a small, heat-proof bowl.

In a small saucepan over medium warmth, mix the heavy cream, raspberry jam and salt, stirring till the jam dissolves and the cream is simply coming to a simmer. There will likely be small bubbles forming across the fringe of the pan, and it ought to register 185 to 190 levels on an instant-read thermometer.

Fastidiously pour the cream combination over the chocolate and let sit undisturbed till the chocolate melts, 2 to three minutes. Add the liqueur and whisk the cream into the chocolate till it comes collectively right into a easy, shiny, pourable combination.

Place a chunk of plastic wrap or parchment paper towards the floor of the ganache and refrigerate till it’s the consistency of spreadable butter — agency sufficient to pipe or unfold and keep the place it’s put, about half-hour. It’s going to set as much as a firmer consistency within the cookies when they’re stuffed and chilled.

Bake the cookies: Place a rack in the midst of the oven and preheat to 325 levels. Line two giant, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

If the dough is simply too agency, permit it to melt a bit at room temperature. Use a No. 60 disher or a tablespoon measure to scoop out 1-tablespoon (16-gram) balls of dough and place them on the lined cookie sheets, spaced at the very least 1 1/2 inches aside. The cookies don’t unfold that a lot, so you need to be capable to get 20 on every sheet. (You need to have 42 cookies whole.) Barely flatten the dough balls by urgent them with the palm of your hand.

Bake, one sheet at a time, about 10 minutes, or till the cookies are set across the edges with a shiny, puffy middle with some cracks. Let cool on the pan for five minutes, then switch to a wire rack to chill fully.

Assemble the cookie sandwiches: If the ganache is simply too agency to make sandwiches, let it soften to room temperature.

Flip half of the cookies flat aspect up on a big, rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment. Utilizing a piping bag fitted with a big tip, or a sealed zip-top bag with a nook minimize off, pipe about 1 tablespoon of chocolate ganache on every overturned cookie, then high with the remaining cookies to kind sandwiches.

When all of the cookies have been sandwiched, refrigerate them on the pan when you put together the decorations.

Embellish the cookies: Line a second giant, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper.

In a microwave-safe bowl, soften the white chocolate in 30-second bursts on HIGH, stirring after every burst. (Alternatively, you possibly can soften the chocolate in a double boiler, or in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water.) Let the chocolate cool barely. Repeat with the raspberry or ruby chocolate.

Working with one cookie sandwich at a time, holding them in order that the ganache filling is perpendicular to the bowl, dip every midway into one of many candies. Place the dipped sandwiches on the ready baking sheet as you’re employed.

Embellish the cookies with traces of chocolate by drizzling from a spoon or utilizing a small piping bag. You should utilize contrasting colours or matching colours.

Mud with the freeze-dried raspberry powder or brush on the luster mud earlier than the chocolate units. The cookies ought to look harking back to nice candies. Be inventive and have enjoyable and make them seem like miniature works of summary artwork.

Place the sheet with the adorned cookies, uncovered, within the freezer for five to 10 minutes to set the chocolate.

Refrigerate till able to serve for one of the best consistency. The ganache can soften if the cookies get too heat.

NOTES: Valrhona raspberry chocolate lends an exquisite taste and exquisite shade to the cookies. You may substitute an equal quantity of ruby chocolate or white chocolate coloured with crimson meals coloring or blended with freeze-dried raspberries.

Should you aren’t a fan of raspberry and chocolate, the ganache could be made with different taste mixtures, akin to Grand Marnier with orange marmalade, or kirsch with cherry preserves. Kahlua, Frangelico and amaretto are all scrumptious with chocolate, too.

To maintain the ganache alcohol free, you possibly can omit the liqueur and add an equal quantity of fruit puree, or simply substitute extra heavy cream. The ganache may also be made dairy-free by substituting coconut cream for the heavy cream.

The darkish chocolate within the cookies and ganache needs to be the best-quality chocolate obtainable to you with at the very least 55 % cacao. Except you want a really darkish chocolate taste, don’t use a chocolate with greater than 75 % cacao within the ganache. Don’t use chocolate chips, as they don’t soften absolutely and gained’t work within the cookies or the ganache.