Salt and Pepper Sandwich Cookies
It was 11:30 pm and I was comfortably tucked into bed, book in hand, eyes at half mast, when suddenly the Husband enters the room and through garbled words proclaims ‘now this is a great cookie’. A half eaten bite of cookie was in his mouth, with the remaining cookie being waved about in his hand. He had obviously found the ‘little sweet’ I left on the counter for him. What was even more obvious was how much he liked it. I don’t know that I have ever seen him quite so animated and enthusiastic about a cookie before. I wasn’t surprised at his reaction to these peppy, creme filled sandwiches. They are REALLY good! And when I tell you where I got the recipe, you won’t be surprised either.
Remember my last post? Well, I kept my word, and when I was in New York last week I finally made it to Baked Bakery. What a delightful place. The Baked team was beyond friendly and helpful. There was a party-like vibe going on in the joint. Everyone seemed happy to be there. One staff member, who will not remain nameless (Jordan), was in a particularly smiley mood due in part to a two-foot chocolate Easter Bunny that had just been delivered to the bakery compliments of Jacque Torres. He cradled the bunny in his arms as though it was his first born and strutted around the bakery like a proud papa. He was absolutely adorable. Jordan, not the bunny.
As darling as the bakery was, and as lovely as the staff was, I had to get serious when it came to sampling the baked goods. I bought a little bit of everything. A variety of bars, a slice of coconut cake, a piece of lemon poppy seed bread, and an oatmeal cookie were just a few of the things that landed in my bag destined for taste testing. I have been known to go a little crazy when visiting bakeries. Remember this? To anyone who observes the process by which I taste test baked goods, I must look like a rabid dog. I can’t get them in my mouth quickly enough. Manners fly out the window as I pounce with reckless abandon on each baked good. (How’s that for a glimpse into another side of me.) I am passionate about baking, and I make no excuses for my behavior when in the midst of taste testing such sweets.
Let me tell you that everything I tasted from Baked scored a ’10’ in my book. Honestly! I returned back to LA with even greater enthusiasm to tackle more of the recipes from Baked and Baked Explorations. Which brings me back to the cookie that had left such an impression on H. It hails from the second in the trilogy of Baked cookbooks. Since one of the only items I hadn’t purchased when visiting the bakery was a sandwich cookie, I wanted to give it a try. To be honest, sandwich cookies do take a little more time and effort. They require chilling, rolling, and cutting, making the frosting, and then sandwiching them together. Some things in life are worth the extra effort and this cookie is one of them.
Now I can happily check Baked Bakery off my list of places I have to visit during this lifetime. And if it isn’t already on there, I suggest you put it on your list. You won’t be disappointed.
Oreos have met their match with these slightly spicy and oh so chocolaty cream filled sandwich cookies. Too decadent to dunk, however a chaser of cold milk is highly suggested.
Salt and Pepper Sandwich Cookies
Cookies
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder ( I used Valrhona)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fleur de sel, plus more for decorating
1 1/2 teaspoons white pepper
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, cut into 1-inch cubes, cool, but not cold
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (60 to 72%), melted (I used Lindt Chili Excellence Bar but any good quality dark chocolate is fine)
Vanilla Filling
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, cut into small chunks, at room temperature
3 ounces vegetable shortening, at room temperature
3 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons light rum
Cookies:
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, fleur de sel, white pepper, cardamom.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, and add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Add the vanilla and melted chocolate and beat until uniform in color. Scrape down the bowl and beat again for 10 seconds.
Add half of the dry ingredients and beat for 15 seconds. Scrape down the bowl and add the remaining dry ingredients and beat until just incorporated.
Divide the dough into 4 portions. Gently knead each portion into a cohesive ball, then flatten each ball into 1/2-inch thick discs. Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Have ready baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
Unwrap one disc of dough and place it on a lightly floured rolling surface. Roll it into a 1/4-inch thick round, re-flouring if needed. Use a 2-inch round cookie cutter to cut out as many rounds as possible. Transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch of space around each cookie. Continue the process with the remaining dough. The dough scraps can be refrigerated and rerolled, if desired.
Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with a little fleur de sel, then bake them for 11-13 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through the baking time. The tops of the cookies should look a bit dry and possibly cracked. Place the baking sheets on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to the racks to cool completely before filling them.
Vanilla Filling:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening until lump free and smooth. Add the sugar in three parts, mixing each part until just combined. Add the salt, vanilla, and rum and beat again for 10 seconds. The filling should be thick but spreadable (like the inside of an Oreo). If it is too thick, add a drop or two of water as needed. Keep adding water to reach the desired consistency, but do not add too much water or the filling will be too thin. Alternatively if the mixture is too thin, add a few tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar.
To Assemble the Cookies:
Use a pastry bag or a small off-set spatula to apply a tablespoon or so of filling onto the flat side of a cookie. Place another cookie, flat side down, on top. Press down slightly so that the filling spreads to the edges of the cookie. Repeat until all the sandwich cookies are made. Store the cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Yield: 3 dozen cookies
Source: Adapted from Baked Explorations by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito
Mary, you are not alone in your bakery testing techniques. My family and I do the exact same thing when we visit new bakeries. You have to sample a variety of items in order to gauge the overall quality, especially since you never know when you will return.
I loved reading your positive review of Baked. Sometimes, I find that big-name bakeries with cookbooks experience a gradual decline in quality. Now that Baked has received your stamp of approval, I can’t wait to check it out this summer in NYC! xo
Unfortunately, more often than not, most ‘popular’ bakeries don’t live up to their hype. I also loved Tartine, and I believe you did as well. One of the reasons I was so happy with Baked is because I am particularly fond of all-American baked goods. They are what I was raised on – I guess I would call them my ‘comfort’ desserts. I’m curious what your opinion of the bakery will be. Please let me know if you visit there this summer.
The cookies look gorgeous, Mary. And I’m exactly the same when it comes to taste testing! I’ve been debating whether to get the cookbooks or not, and your post just decided it for me 😀
Nazia, I’m glad I was able to sway you in the direction of getting the books. Ihey really are worth adding to your baking library.
As a fellow “Baked” fan I also have the same cookbook and have passed over the sandwich cookie recipe without even giving it a chance to shine. With so much irresistible praise and devotion I must try them soon! What a buttery, sweet post!
Thanks Deb! My dear friend just informed me that she skipped right over this recipe because Salt & Pepper cookies didn’t sound inviting to her. What a shame. The pepper plays a secondary role and who doesn’t like a little salt saddled up along-side there sweet? Nevertheless, these cookies are quite delicious.
Salt & Pepper cookies sound rather intriguing! I love unexpected flavour pairings in desserts and anything by BAKED is ok by me. I’ll be adding these to my ever-growing try list.
These flavors may have been too unexpected for most of my followers. Although this cookie seem to be a good seller at Baked Bakery. I should have put the word ‘chocolate’ in the title. That gets everyone. They were subtly flavored – more chocolate than salt and pepper. If you ever do make them, let me know what you think.
My manners disappear when I`m excited because of food. My sisters and friends have told me how embarrassingly excited I am when I go to a new bakery or ice cream shop!
These cookies are definitely intriguing!! I mean, salt and pepper in a dessert? I need to try this out. 🙂
Lynna, these cookies possibly should have been given a different name. Salt and Pepper as ingredients in a cookie threw a lot of people. The salt and pepper are actually only back notes. The flavor of chocolate dominates and the sweet creamy filling balances it all out.