ALMOND COOKIES WITH PRALINE CHOCOLATE FILLING

ALMOND COOKIES WITH PRALINE CHOCOLATE FILLING image

Categories Nut

Yield 7 dozen

Number Of Ingredients 13

Dough
1 cup (2 sticks, 8 ounces) soft butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup (4 3/4 ounces) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (2 ounces) glazing sugar or confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 1/4 cups (9 1/2 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 cup (3 3/4 ounces) toasted almond or hazelnut flour OR an additional 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Filling
11 ounces (1 can, about 1 cup) praline paste
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped, or 1 1/3 cups bittersweet chips

Steps:

Cookies: Beat together the butter, salt, sugars, flavorings, egg, and yolk. Add the flour(s) and mix until well combined. Cover and chill for 30 minutes, or until the dough is easy to handle. Press 1 teaspoonful of dough into the bottom and up the sides each mold. Place the filled molds on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 7 to 9 minutes. The cookies will be very lightly browned around the edges. Cool slightly, then tap the molds firmly to remove the cookies. Cool the cookies completely on a rack; they'll become crisp. Filling: Melt the praline paste and chocolate together in a double boiler or in a microwave on low power. Spread the flat side of half the cookies with 1/2 teaspoon of filling. Sandwich pairs of cookies, pressing the halves together gently. Allow to stand until the filling is set, several hours at (cool) room temperature or 2 to 3 hours in the refrigerator.