I’ve never had a cookie that masqueraded as a cake, satisfying two cravings at once, until I recreated this recipe.
Imagine compact layers of chocolate cake, with a soft sheen from the generous amount of butter in the batter, sandwiching a smooth, velvety layer of bittersweet chocolate and hazelnut.
These cookies are delicate and should be handled with care when filling. Then, when the cookies are stacked high, all can devour them with abandon.
Chocolate Shortbread Mignardise (recipe courtesy of L’École Ritz Escoffier Paris)
500 g. Unsalted Butter
200 g. Confectioner’s Sugar
2 Whole Vanilla Beans (or two teaspoons vanilla extract)
2 g. Fine Salt
80 g. Egg Whites
500 g. Flour
75 g. Cocoa Powder
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Sift the flour and cocoa powder, set aside. Soften the butter and add the sugar, vanilla, and salt. Pour in the egg whites, and incorporate the flour. Mix well and then refrigerate.
After rolling out the dough between wax paper with a rolling pin, I found it helpful to place the sheets in the freezer for a few minutes to make it easier to cut out your desired cookie shape.
Bake for two minutes. Remove from the oven and cover with Silpat. Place back in the oven for four minutes.
Chocolate Hazelnut Filling (adapted and improvised)
200 g. Bittersweet Chocolate
220 g. Nutella
60 g. Unsalted butter
2 tbsp Vanilla Extract
Melt the chocolate, then add the Nutella. Once combined, add the softened butter and mix well, incorporating the vanilla extract. Place the filling in a piping bag, fill your cookies, and enjoy!
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