Espresso Ganache Sandwich Cookies
Whipped espresso infused ganache sandwich between buttery shortbread holiday cookies
Ingredients
Shortbread Cookie Dough
- 226 g unsalted butter room temperature (1 c.)
- 90 g powdered sugar (¾ c.)
- 240 g all purpose flour (2 c.)
- ¼ tsp. salt
Whipped Espresso Ganache
- 60 g whole espresso beans (¼ c.)
- 226 g heavy whipping cream (1 c.)
- 226 g milk chocolate baking bar (1 ⅓ c.)
Instructions
Shortbread Cookie Dough
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add the butter and powdered sugar to a large mixing bowl. With a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together just until they are combined.
- Add in the flour and salt, and beat until a cohesive dough forms.
- Transfer the dough to a clean and generously floured work surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out until it is ~¼” thick.
- If using a cookie stamp, start stamping the designs into the dough, making sure to leave a tiny bit of space between each stamp. After the dough is stamped, use a 3” diameter biscuit cutter to cut out each of the cookies after stamping. (If you are not using a cookie stamp, just cut out 3” cookies!)
- Repeat rolling out the cookie dough and stamping two more times. You should be able to get 20 cookies.
- Transfer all of the cookies to the lined baking sheet, and place them in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Once the cookies have chilled, evenly space them out on the cookie sheet, leaving at least 1” between each cookie.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Leave the cookies to cool to room temperature before frosting.
Whipped Espresso Ganache
- Transfer the espresso beans to a sealed plastic bag, and lightly crush them.
- Add the crushed espresso beans and the heavy whipping cream to a small saucepan. Set the mixture over medium heat and bring it to a simmer.
- Once the mixture is simmering, turn the heat off and allow the mixture to sit for at least 5 minutes, up to 20.
- Break up the milk chocolate baking bar into small chunks and add it to a large mixing bowl.
- Once the cream has sat for 5 minutes, put it back on medium heat. Once the mixture starts to simmer again, pour it through a fine-mesh sieve over the chocolate.
- Cover the bowl with a lid or plate. Let the mixture sit for 1 minute, then whisk the ingredients together until you have a smooth ganache.
- Transfer the ganache to the freezer, and stir every 5-10 minutes until it has significantly thickened up.
- Once the ganache has cooled and thickened, use a hand mixer to whip up the mixture until it is fluffy and has lightened in color.
- Transfer the whipped ganache to a piping bag fitted with your tip of choice, and pipe it on to half of the cookies.
- Sandwich the cookies, serve, and enjoy!