Salted Mocha Sandwich Cookies
These rich, buttery, can't-eat-just-one cookies get a double dose of instant espresso powder in both the cookie dough and the coffee buttercream filling. A finishing sprinkle of fleur de sel boosts the chocolate flavor even more.
Recipe by Asha Loupy
For the chocolate shortbread cookies
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Valrhona Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract from LAFAZA
Fleur de sel, for garnish
Instructions
To make the cookies, sift together the flour, cocoa powder and 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt into a medium bowl.
In a large bowl, combine the butter and confectioner’s sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the espresso powder and vanilla extract and continue to beat until the espresso powder dissolves into the butter and sugar mixture, another 30 seconds to a minute.
Add flour and cocoa powder mixture and mix until combined. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Take one half of the dough and form it into a log about 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Repeat with the remaining half of the dough. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours to overnight.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove the dough logs from the refrigerator, unwrap and slice into rounds about 1/3-inch thick. Arrange the sliced cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets, about 3/4-inch apart. Sprinkle half of the cookies with a few crystals of fleur de sel (these will end up being the tops of your sandwich cookies). Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the trays halfway through.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cookies are cooling, make the coffee buttercream filling. In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons of the espresso powder, vanilla extract, heavy whipping cream and a pinch of salt and continue beating until the espresso powder has dissolved, about another 1-2 minutes. Taste and add more espresso powder, if necessary, beating to combine. Transfer to a piping bag set aside (if you don’t have a piping bag, create one by using a zip-top bag and snipping off one of the corners).
To assemble the cookies, arrange the unsalted cookies bottom-side up. Pipe the reserved frosting on each of the cookies and top with the salt-garnished cookies.
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