FOOD BLOGGER OF THE WEEK

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Chocolate Mint Sandwich Cookies

1/2 cup     butter
1/2 cup     light brown sugar
1/4 tsp     salt
1 tsp     vanilla
1     large egg
1-2/3 cup    unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup    cocoa powder
2 tsp     baking powder
1 tsp     espresso powder

Filling
1/2 cup     butter
1/4 cup     shortening
1-3/4 cup     confectioners’ sugar
2 Tbsp     milk
1 tsp     mint extract

red colour paste/gel
6    mini candy canes, crushed

Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a medium bowl sift flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking and espresso powders.

Combine butter and sugar in a large bowl/mixer bowl and beat together until creamy. Add egg, and vanilla, combine until incorporated. Add flour mixture to wet mixture, beating at medium speed until just combined. Turn out cookie dough on to a lightly floured surface and form into a disc. Cover in saran wrap and refrigerator for an hour. If the cookie dough is too firm to roll, allow to soften slightly.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/8 inch thick and cut into 2 ½ inch scalloped circles. Place a on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

Make the filling: Combine butter and shortening in a medium bowl and beat until smooth. Add the icing sugar, milk and mint extract and beat together until sugar combined. Add a tiny drop of red food colouring and beat to blend in colour. Filling will be light pink. Using a mini spatula, add approximately 2-3 tablespoons of icing on the bottom of one cookie. Top with another cookie, press together and roll the sandwich cookie through the crushed candy canes. Repeat with remaining cookies. Makes 20 sandwich cookies.

Check out more of Meg’s sweet blog at  http://www.sweettwistoffate.blogspot.com