3
SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED
The only thing that can possibly top a cookie is one that’s topped (say, with marshmallows and chocolate like a s’more), or two cookies wrapped around a luscious filling. That’s a sandwich we can believe in.
Brazilian Wedding Cookies
MAKES ABOUT 15
Bite-sized cookies sandwiched around a delectable fruit center, Brazilian casadinhos are often served at weddings to symbolize the sweet union of the married couple. The cookies are typically filled with dulce de leche or, as in this heart-shaped version, guava.
FOR THE COOKIES
1¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
¾ cup cornstarch
½ teaspoon coarse salt
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
¾ cup superfine sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
FOR THE FILLING
12 ounces guava paste, cut into small pieces
½ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
¼ teaspoon pink powdered food coloring
1. Make the cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium, beat butter and superfine sugar until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg, vanilla, and lemon zest, and beat until well combined. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Divide dough in half, shape each half into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Working with one disk at a time, roll out dough ⅛ inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Using a 1¾-inch heart-shaped cutter, cut out cookies. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Refrigerate 20 minutes.
3. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are just golden but still pale on top, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool about 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool completely.
4. Make the filling: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine guava paste with ⅓ cup water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until paste has melted completely and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
5. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a ¼-inch round tip. Pipe 1 tablespoon filling onto half the cookies, then sandwich with remaining cookies. In a small bowl, mix confectioners’ sugar and food coloring until well combined. Sift over cookies. (Unfilled cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days; filling can be refrigerated, covered, up to 3 days.)
Tiramisu Cookies
MAKES 30
Tira me sù is Venetian dialect for “pick me up,” which these mini sweets beg you to do. They’re a new take on the mascarpone-rich layered dessert. A creamy, liqueur-spiked filling is sandwiched between cookies flavored with espresso and cocoa powder and brushed with melted chocolate.
5 large eggs, separated
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons instant espresso powder
½ cup cake flour (not self-rising)
¼ teaspoon coarse salt
Unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, for dusting
¾ cup mascarpone cheese
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
3 tablespoons almond-flavored liqueur, such as amaretto
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted (see this page)
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium, beat egg yolks and ½ cup granulated sugar until pale and stiff, about 3 minutes. Add espresso powder and beat for 2 minutes. Add flour and beat until just combined. (Mixture will be very thick.)
2. In another large bowl, using clean, dry beaters and with mixer on medium, beat egg whites and salt until foamy. With mixer running, add remaining ½ cup granulated sugar in a slow stream, beating until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Fold whites into yolk mixture in 3 additions until well combined.
3. Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch round tip (such as Ateco #806). Pipe batter onto parchment-lined baking sheets into 60 lines that are 2 inches long and 1 inch wide, spacing 1 inch apart. Using a fine-mesh sieve, dust with cocoa powder.
4. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until firm, 14 to 16 minutes. Transfer cookies on parchment to wire racks and let cool completely. (Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.)
5. Stir together mascarpone, confectioners’ sugar, liqueur, and vanilla until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes and up to 3 days.
6. When ready to serve, brush the cookies’ flat sides with melted chocolate. Refrigerate, flat side up, until chocolate is firm, about 10 minutes.
7. Spread a generous ½ teaspoon mascarpone filling over chocolate side of half the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies. Serve immediately. (Cookies are best eaten the day they are made.)
Pistachio and Apricot Rugelach
MAKES ABOUT 4 DOZEN
Simmered dried apricots with a hint of vanilla are a wonderful combination of tart and sweet. (We tested apricot jam in this filling, and it just wasn’t the same.) The mixture is slathered on rounds of cream cheese dough, which is sliced into wedges and rolled into crescents before baking. The dough and filling can be made a couple of days in advance and refrigerated (the dough disks wrapped in plastic, the filling in an airtight container) to make assembly easier.
FOR THE DOUGH
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon coarse salt
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
FOR THE FILLING
2 cups dried apricots
⅔ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of coarse salt
1 cup shelled pistachios, preferably Sicilian
1 large egg, lightly whisked
Sanding sugar, for sprinkling
1. Make the dough: In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high, beat butter with cream cheese, granulated sugar, and salt until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add flour and beat on low until just combined. Divide dough into thirds and form into disks; wrap each in plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
2. Make the filling: In a saucepan, bring apricots, 1⅓ cups water, the granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer until apricots are tender and most of liquid has been absorbed, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and pulse until smooth. Let cool completely. (You should have about 2 cups filling; if not, thin slightly with water.)
3. Meanwhile, finely grind pistachios in a food processor. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to a 10-inch circle, ⅛ inch thick. Spread evenly with ⅔ cup apricot mixture. Sprinkle with ¼ cup ground pistachios. With a pizza wheel, cut circle into quarters, then cut each quarter in half, then in half again, so you have 16 wedges. Starting at outside edge of each wedge, roll up into a crescent shape. Arrange 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg, and sprinkle with sanding sugar and 1 tablespoon ground pistachios. Repeat with remaining dough. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 325°F. Bake rugelach, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks; let cool completely. (Rugelach can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.)
Raspberry-Jam Ice Diamonds
MAKES ABOUT 80
Delicate ice crystals forming on winter windowpanes inspired these meltingly tender diamond-shaped confections that when arranged together can form a star or snowflake. You won’t taste the cream cheese in the cookie, but it’s the secret to a soft, buttery texture.
4 sticks (2 cups) unsalted butter, room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
½ teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted, plus more for dusting
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup raspberry preserves
1. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high, beat butter, cream cheese, salt, and ¼ cup sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. With mixer on low, beat in flour, 1 cup at a time, then vanilla, until combined.
2. Divide dough in half; shape each half into a flat rectangle and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm but still pliable, about 45 minutes. (Dough can be refrigerated up to 2 days.)
3. Dust 3 tablespoons sugar on a piece of parchment. Place one rectangle of dough on top and dust with 3 tablespoons sugar. Roll out to just under ¼ inch thick. Trim to a 12-by-16-inch rectangle and transfer on parchment to a baking sheet. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. Repeat with other rectangle of dough.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Slide one sheet of dough on parchment onto a work surface. Using an offset spatula, evenly spread with preserves. Invert remaining sheet of dough on top; remove parchment and let stand until soft enough to cut but still firm. Trim edges, then cut horizontally into strips the width of a ruler. Repeat with same-size strips on the diagonal to create diamonds.
5. Freeze diamonds until firm, about 10 minutes. Transfer to baking sheets lined with clean parchment, spacing 1 inch apart. Freeze again until firm, about 10 minutes. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden, 20 to 23 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets 5 minutes, then dust with sugar. Let cool completely before removing from parchment with a spatula. Preserves may cause them to stick. (Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.)
Chocolate Hazelnut-Crusted Sandwich Cookies
MAKES 3 DOZEN
If ever there were a pair of ingredients made for each other, it’s chocolate and hazelnuts. This cookie unites them beautifully, with crisp chocolate wafers sandwiching a fluffy filling, then rolled in a fine coating of toasted hazelnuts for a crunchy finish.
FOR THE COOKIES
1¼ cups cake flour (not self-rising)
¾ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon coarse salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
FOR THE FILLING
3 sticks (1½ cups) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon coarse salt
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted (see this page) and cooled
1 cup toasted skinned hazelnuts (see this page), very finely chopped
1. Make the cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together butter and egg. Add brown sugar and whisk to combine. Gradually add flour mixture and stir with a spatula until just combined. Transfer to a sheet of plastic wrap.
2. Divide dough into thirds; roll out each third on a nonstick baking mat, topped with plastic wrap, to a 1⁄16-inch thickness. Stack on a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Using a 2-inch cookie cutter, cut dough into rounds, then transfer rounds to parchment-lined baking sheets. Reroll scraps one time to make a total of 72 cookies. (If dough becomes soft, place in freezer until firm.) Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until firm and fragrant, 9 to 10 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks and let cool.
4. Make the filling: In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on low, beat butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt. Begin beating on low, then increase to high for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Stir in melted chocolate to combine.
5. Spread 2 tablespoons filling on half the cookies, then sandwich with remaining cookies. Roll edges in chopped hazelnuts to adhere. Chill overnight before serving. (Assembled cookies can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days.)
S’mores Cookies
MAKES ABOUT 2 DOZEN
You don’t have to be gathered around a campfire to enjoy a chocolatey, gooey, marshmallowy s’more. Here, an oatmeal cookie substitutes for the standard graham-cracker base, your broiler for the campfire. Just leave them under the flame a touch longer if you like your marshmallows a little more toasted.
½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon coarse salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, cut into 30 squares
15 large marshmallows, halved horizontally
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a food processor, pulse oats until finely ground. Add both flours, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; pulse to combine.
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium, beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg, scraping down sides of bowl. With mixer on low, beat in flour mixture until combined.
3. Using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, drop dough by tablespoons onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Top each with a chocolate square. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, just until lightly golden, 11 to 13 minutes. Remove sheets from oven; heat broiler. Top each cookie with a marshmallow half. One sheet at a time, broil until marshmallows are lightly browned, 1 to 1½ minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool. (Cookies are best eaten the day they are made.)
TIP
For added texture and a nutty sweetness, substitute regular whole-wheat flour with graham flour, a very coarsely stone-ground whole-wheat flour that’s used in graham crackers.
Chocolate Malt Sandwich Cookies
MAKES 54
Chocolate meets chocolate for a truly decadent treat—the ideal accompaniment to an afternoon coffee or espresso. Wafer-thin cookies with a hint of malted flavor sandwich a salted ganache that is rich, buttery, and smooth. When making the filling, bring the cream just to a boil and then pour it over the chocolate with a sprinkle of salt.
FOR THE COOKIES
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
¼ cup plain malted-milk powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon coarse salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1¾ cups sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ cup crème fraîche
3 tablespoons hot water
FOR THE FILLING
20 ounces milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
1¼ cups heavy cream
1¼ teaspoons coarse salt
1. Make cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, malt powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl.
2. In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer on medium, beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, and beat until combined. Mix in crème fraîche. Mix in hot water. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat until just incorporated.
3. Using a ½-ounce cookie scoop, drop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart (or use a tablespoon; gently shape dough into balls). Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until tops flatten and cookies are just firm, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and let cool completely.
4. Make the filling: Place chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil over medium-high heat. Pour over chocolate and add salt. Let stand for 10 minutes (do not stir—doing so will cool the ganache too quickly, making it grainy). Using a whisk, stir ganache until smooth and shiny, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
5. Assemble the cookies: Spread 1 tablespoon of filling on a cookie with an offset spatula. Sandwich with a second cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies. (Cookies can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days.)
Lime Sandwich Cookies
MAKES 30
For this two-bite take on Brazilian limonada (a frothy, refreshing drink made with limes and condensed milk), swirl a dollop of tangy citrus filling between two sugar cookies. Use a teardrop aspic cutter to give some of the cookies a citrus-slice look before baking—or simply sift confectioners’ sugar over the tops for a photo-worthy finish.
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
¼ teaspoon baking powder
Coarse salt
2 sticks (1 cup) plus 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1¾ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 ounces (1 cup) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon grated zest plus 6 tablespoons fresh lime juice (6 to 8 limes)
3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt. In another bowl, with an electric mixer on high, beat 2 sticks butter with sugar until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in egg, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon water. With mixer on low, add flour mixture and beat until just combined. Divide dough in half and shape into disks. Wrap in plastic and freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 325°F. Remove one disk from freezer; let stand at room temperature 15 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough ⅛ inch thick. Using a 2½-inch cutter, stamp out rounds. Transfer rounds to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart. Roll scraps; cut out more rounds. Repeat with other disk for a total of 60 rounds. With a teardrop aspic cutter, cut ¾-inch teardrops from half of rounds. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks and let cool completely.
3. In a small pan over medium-high, heat condensed milk, stirring frequently, until bubbling. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring, until it reaches the consistency of pudding, about 5 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Whisk in lime zest and juice and a pinch of salt. Cover surface directly with plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes.
4. In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high, beat remaining 6 tablespoons butter, the cream cheese, and milk mixture until fluffy. Spread 2 teaspoons filling on a solid cookie; top with a cutout. Repeat with remaining cookies. Refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour before serving. (Cookies can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 4 days.)
Peanut-Butter Sandwich Cookies
MAKES 1 DOZEN
Oaty and nutty, this sandwich cookie will delight peanut butter and oatmeal cookie lovers alike. Toasted oats give the cookies crunch—the better to envelop a smooth, creamy peanut-butter filling.
FOR THE COOKIES
1½ sticks (¾ cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon coarse salt
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
⅓ cup granulated sugar
½ cup smooth peanut butter
Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling
FOR THE FILLING
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup smooth peanut butter
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
½ teaspoon coarse salt
1. Make the cookies: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt ½ stick (4 tablespoons) butter. Add oats and cook, stirring, until toasted, 5 to 10 minutes. Spread oat mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and let cool.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high, beat remaining 1 stick butter, and brown and granulated sugars until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add peanut butter and mix until well combined.
3. Gradually add oat mixture and flour mixture, and mix on low until combined. Roll out dough between 2 sheets of parchment to ¼ inch thick. Slide dough with parchment onto baking sheet and refrigerate until chilled, about 20 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove top layer of parchment; cut out cookies using a 2-inch round cookie cutter. Place cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart; sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely on baking sheets.
5. Make the filling: In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer on medium, mix all ingredients until smooth. Transfer filling to a pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch round tip (such as Ateco #806).
6. Pipe filling in a spiral motion on bottom side of half the cookies (see this page for how to pipe filling). Top with remaining cookies to form sandwiches. (Filled cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.)
Passionfruit Melting Moments
MAKES 2 DOZEN
One bite and you’ll know how these cookies got their name. They literally melt in your mouth. Found at cafés all over Australia and New Zealand, melting moments are also known as cornstarch cookies, or, when filled, as custard kisses. Fillings can be made in a variety of flavors, from vanilla to raspberry—Martha chose homemade passionfruit curd for these.
FOR THE COOKIES
1½ sticks (¾ cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornstarch
½ teaspoon coarse salt
FOR THE FILLING
4 large egg yolks
½ cup frozen passionfruit puree, defrosted
½ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon coarse salt
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1. Make the cookies: In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high, beat butter, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla, scraping down sides as necessary, until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. In a medium bowl, sift together flour and cornstarch. Add flour mixture to butter mixture along with salt, beating until just combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Scoop 2 teaspoons of dough at a time and roll into 48 balls; transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing about 1 inch apart. Use a fork to make long indents on tops of balls. Bake cookies until slightly golden around edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks and let cool completely.
3. Make the filling: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine egg yolks, passionfruit puree, granulated sugar, and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Stir in butter and gelatin, mixing until the butter has melted and the gelatin has dissolved. Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain curd into a medium bowl, then place plastic wrap directly onto surface; refrigerate until set, at least 1 hour.
4. Spread 1 scant teaspoon curd on flat side of half the cookies. Dust remaining cookies with confectioners’ sugar; sandwich halves together. (Filled cookies are best eaten the day they are made; unfilled cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 weeks.)
Macaroon Sandwich Cookies
MAKES ABOUT 45
Macaroon, meet macaron. Lending a French accent to the traditional Passover treat—by sandwiching preserves between two of the crisp, chewy coconut cookies—you get a simply unique dessert. Just about any jam complements the macaroon’s flaky layers. For these, we used mango, raspberry, and apricot for a variety of color and flavor.
2 large egg whites
3 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of coarse salt
8 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
½ cup jam, such as mango, raspberry, or apricot
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg whites, sugar, and salt until frothy. Stir in coconut until moist. Drop teaspoon-size mounds onto parchment-lined baking sheets; flatten with a fork. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely.
2. Spread ½ teaspoon jam on flat side of half the cookies, then sandwich with remaining cookies. (Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.)
TIP
This cookie calls for sweetened coconut, in which sugar is added before the coconut is dried, versus unsweetened coconut, which is simply dried. The sweetened version tends to be more moist, with a bolder flavor.
Maple-Cream Sandwich Cookies
MAKES ABOUT 20
Maple infuses all the layers of these leaf-shaped sandwich cookies: Maple sugar goes into the buttery shortbread dough and maple syrup sweetens the cream filling. Golden or amber maple syrups are what most cooks use, but if you like a stronger maple flavor, go for the darker syrups, which are produced later in the season.
FOR THE COOKIES
5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon coarse salt
4 sticks (2 cups) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup pure maple sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
FOR THE FILLING
1½ sticks (¾ cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
6 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1. Make the cookies: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In another bowl, with an electric mixer on medium, beat butter and granulated and maple sugars until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and beat until combined, about 30 seconds. Add flour mixture and mix on low until just combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides as necessary. Divide dough into 4 pieces, shape into disks, and wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 375°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to ⅛-inch thickness, lightly dusting with flour. Cut out about 10 cookies using a 4-inch maple-leaf–shaped cutter, dipping cutter in flour as needed. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets and freeze until firm, about 10 minutes. Repeat process with remaining disks of dough.
3. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges begin to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks and let cool. Transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool completely.
4. Make the filling: In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high, beat butter until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar and maple syrup; beat until smooth. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip (such as Ateco #1 or #2). Pipe 2 tablespoons filling onto bottoms of half the cookies, then sandwich with remaining cookies. (Filled cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.)
Pumpkin-Gingerbread Ice Cream Sandwiches
MAKES 15
Pumpkin pairs naturally with warm spices such as ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. So it’s no surprise that here we combine pumpkin ice cream with chewy gingerbread cookies; but feel free to use your favorite vanilla if you prefer. Whichever flavor you choose, soften it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before scooping to make the ice cream sandwiches.
3 cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2½ teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger
½ cup unsulfured molasses
⅓ cup granulated sugar
Store-bought pumpkin or vanilla ice cream
1. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium, beat butter, brown sugar, and grated ginger until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in molasses. Gradually add flour mixture and mix on low until combined. Form dough into a disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours and up to overnight.
2. Scoop dough into thirty 1½-inch balls and transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Refrigerate 20 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 325°F. Roll balls in granulated sugar. Bake until surfaces crack slightly, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool about 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool completely.
4. Place 15 cookies, flat sides up, on a baking sheet. Scoop ⅓ cup ice cream into center of each cookie. Place remaining cookies, flat side down, on top of ice cream. Gently press with flattened palm until ice cream spreads to edges of cookies. Freeze until ice cream is semi-firm, about 2 hours. (Sandwiches can be frozen on baking sheet until firm, about 4 hours more, and then stored in a freezer bag up to 2 weeks.) To serve, transfer cookies to refrigerator until ice cream softens slightly, about 30 minutes.
PERFECTING
FRENCH MACARONS
Turn your kitchen into a pâtisserie by creating light-as-air macarons at home. Because precision matters with these confections, we recommend weighing the ingredients and following the tips for making the meringue. As for flavors, we offer five variations. Whether you prepare just one or mix and match, you’ll have professional-looking (and -tasting) results that will have people wondering which fancy French bakery you bought them from.
MAKES 20 TO 25
⅔ cup sliced blanched almonds (71 grams)
1 cup confectioners’ sugar (117 grams), sifted
2 large egg whites, room temperature
¼ cup granulated sugar (53 grams)
Flavoring and food coloring (see this page)
Filling (see this page)
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a food processor, process almonds as finely as possible, about 1 minute. Add confectioners’ sugar and process until combined, about 1 minute.
2. Pass mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. Transfer solids in sieve to food processor, and then grind and sift again, pressing down on clumps. Repeat until less than 2 tablespoons of solids remain in sieve.
3. In a large bowl, whisk egg whites and granulated sugar by hand to combine. With an electric mixer on medium, beat 2 minutes. With mixer on high, beat 2 minutes more, until stiff, glossy peaks form. Add flavoring and food coloring, if desired, and beat on high for 30 seconds.
4. Gradually add dry ingredients. Fold with a spatula from bottom of bowl upward (see A), then press flat side of spatula firmly through middle of mixture (see B). Repeat just until batter flows like lava, 35 to 40 complete strokes.
5. Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a ⅜-inch round tip (Ateco #804; see C). Dab some batter onto corners of 2 baking sheets; line with parchment.
6. With piping tip ½ inch above sheet, pipe batter into a ¾-inch round, then swirl tip off to one side (see D). Repeat, spacing rounds 1 inch apart. Tap sheets against counter 2 or 3 times to release air bubbles.
7. Bake one sheet at a time, until cookies have risen and just set, about 13 minutes, rotating halfway through. Let cool completely. Pipe or spread filling on flat sides of half the cookies; top with remaining half. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate. (Macarons are best eaten after 1 or more days of refrigeration.)
Mix-and-Match Flavors and Fillings
Think of the basic almond cookie as the starting point for countless adaptations. Here are five of our favorites. You can modify the hue and flavor (in step 3) as desired.
1. Espresso
Cookie: Add ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder. Sift more powder over half the unbaked rounds. (Mocha variation: Replace ⅓ cup confectioners’ sugar with ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder.) Filling: Dissolve ¼ teaspoon instant espresso powder in ¼ teaspoon hot water; mix into ⅔ cup Swiss meringue buttercream (see this page). Best eaten: After 3 to 5 days of refrigeration.
2. Rose Raspberry
Cookie: Add ¼ teaspoon rose water and 3 drops rose-pink gel-paste food coloring. Filling: ½ cup raspberry jam (with seeds). Best eaten: After 1 to 2 days of refrigeration.
3. Toasted Hazelnut and Chocolate
Cookie: Substitute toasted skinned hazelnuts for almonds. Filling: Heat ¼ cup heavy cream in a saucepan until bubbles begin to form. Add 1½ ounces finely chopped bittersweet chocolate and ½ tablespoon unsalted butter; stir to combine. Stir in 3 tablespoons chocolate-hazelnut spread. Let cool until thick and spreadable. Best eaten: After 1 to 2 days of refrigeration.
4. Chocolate Mint
Cookie: Add ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract and 2 drops leaf-green gel-paste food coloring. Finely grate bittersweet chocolate over half the unbaked rounds. Filling: Heat ¼ cup heavy cream in a saucepan until bubbles begin to form. Add 1½ ounces finely chopped bittersweet chocolate and ½ tablespoon unsalted butter; stir to combine. Let cool until thick and spreadable. Best eaten: After 1 to 2 days of refrigeration.
5. Vanilla Bean
Cookie: Add seeds from ½ vanilla bean and 1 drop copper gel-paste food coloring. Filling: ⅔ cup Swiss meringue buttercream (see this page). Best eaten: After 3 to 5 days of refrigeration.
● Fresh egg whites are the key to meringue that rises well in the oven. Older whites may collapse. Don’t use packaged egg whites—the pasteurization process can prevent them from forming a stable meringue.
● To avoid a granular texture, add the almond-sugar mixture to the foam gradually, and be careful not to overbeat the mixture. The meringue should be smooth, glossy, and flexible, not dry or grainy.
● If using food coloring in the batter, use gel, not liquid. Liquid coloring can make your batter runny.
● To avoid cracks in the meringue, open the oven door as little as possible. If the meringue is starting to brown at all, reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees.
● Piping the perfect macaron takes a little practice. Treat it as you would a rosette, bringing the pastry tip to the side of the circle, rather than forming a peak, to finish. You can also use a macaron baking mat marked with circles to guide you.