Chocolate-Almond Sandwiches

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05

Title: CHOCOLATE-ALMOND SANDWICHES
Categories: Cookies, Chocolate, Candies
Yield: 28 Servings

----------------------------COCOA-ALMOND COOKIES----------------------------
3/4 c Whole blanched almonds
(about 4 ozs)
3/4 c Sugar
1 3/4 c All-purpose flour
3 ts Unsweetened Dutch-process
Cocoa powder
1 ts Baking powder
1 c (8 ozs) unsalted butter,
Slightly softened

--------------------------WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE--------------------------
6 oz Fine-quality white chocolate
Very finely chopped
1/2 c Whipping cream

Cookies---- Grind almonds with sugar in food processor to a fine powder.
Sift flour, cocoa and baking powder into a medium bowl. Cream butter in a
large bowl. Add almond mixture; beat until smooth and fluffy. Using a
wooden spoon, stir in cocoa mixture. Dough will seem dry at first, but stir
until it comes together. Divide dough in half. Spoon each half onto a sheet
of waxed paper. Roll in a log, about 1.1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap in
waxed paper. Refrigerate 2 hours. Roll each log again to an even round
shape. Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375^. Cut each log in about
1/4 inch thick slices with a thin sharp knife. Put slices on ungreased
baking sheet, about 1.1/2 inches apart. Bake 10 to 11 minutes or until
cookies are just set; they burn easily on the bottom. Carefully transfer to
racks with a metal spatula; cool completely.

Ganache------ Put white chocolate in a small bowl. Bring cream to a full
boil in a small heavy saucepan. Pour over chocolate all at once. Stir with
a whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate 30
minutes, stirring occasionally with whisk, until cold and thick, but not
set. Whip mixture at high speed 3 minutes or until lighter in color and
thickened.

Spread about 2 teaspoons ganache on flat sides of half the cookies.
Sandwich each with a flat side of a second cookie, choosing cookies of the
same size to put together. Refrigerate 15 minutes to set before serving.
Cookies can be kept, covered, 1 week in the refrigerator. Serve at room
temperature.

Makes 28 cookie sandwiches.

White chocolate ganache is the filling of these thin, extra- crisp,
cocoa-almond cookies. The cookies are easy to shape - the dough is simply
formed into cylinders and sliced.

Source: Sensational Chocolate Posted by Cookie-Lady
10/15 mm by Cuz

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