Hazelnut Espresso Truffle Cookies
By America's Test KitchenPublished on October 17, 2013
Time
2 hours, plus 1½ hours chilling
Yield
Makes 30 sandwich cookies
Ingredients
2 ½ cups (12 ½ ounces/354 grams) all-purpose flour 1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned, and finely ground½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon baking powder 16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened1 ¼ cups (8 ¾ ounces/248 grams) superfine sugar 1 large egg plus 1 large yolk4 teaspoons instant espresso powder 2 teaspoons vanilla extract ¾ cup heavy cream 3 cups (18 ounces/510 grams) bittersweet chocolate chips
Before You Begin
Both the dough and the filling need to chill. If you don’t have superfine sugar, you can use granulated sugar processed for 30 seconds in a food processor. Use a thin spatula to help move these thin cookies from the counter to the baking sheets. To quickly cool the baking sheets between batches, run them under cold water.
Instructions
- Whisk flour, hazelnuts, salt, and baking powder together in medium bowl. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and yolk, one at a time, espresso powder, and vanilla and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions until just combined, scraping down bowl as needed. Divide dough in half. Form each half into 5-inch disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Let chilled dough soften on counter for 10 minutes. Roll 1 disk of dough into 14-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick, on lightly floured counter. Using 2¼-inch cookie cutter, cut out 30 rounds, rerolling scraps just once. Space cookies ½ inch apart on prepared sheets. Bake until edges are slightly browned, about 7 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Repeat with second disk of dough and cooled sheets. Let cookies cool completely before frosting.
- Heat cream in small saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Place 1 3/4 cups chocolate chips in medium bowl. Pour hot cream over chocolate chips; cover with aluminum foil and let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk chocolate mixture until smooth. Refrigerate chocolate ganache, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 40 minutes.
- Using small metal spatula, spread 2 teaspoons ganache on bottoms of each of 30 cookies. Top with remaining cookies to form sandwiches. Microwave remaining 1¼ cups chocolate chips in bowl at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, 2 to 4 minutes. Drizzle chocolate over cookies and let set, about 30 minutes, before serving. (Cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.)
Time
2 hours, plus 1½ hours chillingYield
Makes 30 sandwich cookiesIngredients
2 ½ cups (12 ½ ounces/354 grams) all-purpose flour
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned, and finely ground
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼ cups (8 ¾ ounces/248 grams) superfine sugar
1 large egg plus 1 large yolk
4 teaspoons instant espresso powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¾ cup heavy cream
3 cups (18 ounces/510 grams) bittersweet chocolate chips
Ingredients
2 ½ cups (12 ½ ounces/354 grams) all-purpose flour
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned, and finely ground
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼ cups (8 ¾ ounces/248 grams) superfine sugar
1 large egg plus 1 large yolk
4 teaspoons instant espresso powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¾ cup heavy cream
3 cups (18 ounces/510 grams) bittersweet chocolate chips
Ingredients
2 ½ cups (12 ½ ounces/354 grams) all-purpose flour
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned, and finely ground
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼ cups (8 ¾ ounces/248 grams) superfine sugar
1 large egg plus 1 large yolk
4 teaspoons instant espresso powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¾ cup heavy cream
3 cups (18 ounces/510 grams) bittersweet chocolate chips
Why This Recipe Works
Inspired by a rich chocolate truffle with a hazelnut in the middle, a sweet Italian treat, these cookies incorporate finely ground hazelnuts into the dough for a nutty flavor and just a touch of texture. After they’re baked, we fill them with a rich chocolate ganache and sandwich them together. A final drizzle of bittersweet chocolate turns them into the ultimate decadent treat.
Before You Begin
Both the dough and the filling need to chill. If you don’t have superfine sugar, you can use granulated sugar processed for 30 seconds in a food processor. Use a thin spatula to help move these thin cookies from the counter to the baking sheets. To quickly cool the baking sheets between batches, run them under cold water.
Instructions
- Whisk flour, hazelnuts, salt, and baking powder together in medium bowl. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and yolk, one at a time, espresso powder, and vanilla and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions until just combined, scraping down bowl as needed. Divide dough in half. Form each half into 5-inch disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Let chilled dough soften on counter for 10 minutes. Roll 1 disk of dough into 14-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick, on lightly floured counter. Using 2¼-inch cookie cutter, cut out 30 rounds, rerolling scraps just once. Space cookies ½ inch apart on prepared sheets. Bake until edges are slightly browned, about 7 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Repeat with second disk of dough and cooled sheets. Let cookies cool completely before frosting.
- Heat cream in small saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Place 1 3/4 cups chocolate chips in medium bowl. Pour hot cream over chocolate chips; cover with aluminum foil and let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk chocolate mixture until smooth. Refrigerate chocolate ganache, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 40 minutes.
- Using small metal spatula, spread 2 teaspoons ganache on bottoms of each of 30 cookies. Top with remaining cookies to form sandwiches. Microwave remaining 1¼ cups chocolate chips in bowl at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, 2 to 4 minutes. Drizzle chocolate over cookies and let set, about 30 minutes, before serving. (Cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.)
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