Chocolate & pistachio shortbread sandwich cookies
Rich chocolate ganache and strawberry jam are sandwiched in between buttery chocolate and pistachio shortbread cookies. The rich, chocolatey, and nutty flavors of the cookies and ganache are balanced perfectly by the bright tartness of the jam.
Equipment
- 1 medium mixing bowl
- Hand or stand mixer
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper or aluminum foil
- Rolling Pin
Ingredients
For the chocolate shortbread cookies
- 3 tbsp (37g) granulated sugar
- 5 tbsp (75g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 tbsp (12g) cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp (100g) all purpose flour
- 1/8 tsp salt
For the pistachio shortbread cookies
- 3 tbsp (37g) granulated sugar
- 5 tbsp (75g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup + 3 tbsp (113g) all purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp pistachio extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp beetroot powder (optional)
For the filling
- 1/2 cup chocolate ganache* (see note 1)
- strawberry jam
Instructions
For the chocolate shortbread cookies
- In a small bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt and set aside.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the sugar and butter in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar. Mix on low - medium speed until a dough forms. Remove the dough from the bowl, wrap in cling room and chill for 10 - 15 minutes.
For the pistachio shortbread cookies
- In a small bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and optional beetroot powder. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the sugar and butter in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the pistachio extract and mix on low - medium speed until incorporated.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar. Mix on low - medium speed until a dough forms. Remove the dough from the bowl and shape into a small, flattened rectangle. Wrap in cling room and chill for 10 - 15 minutes.
Shaping and baking the cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, aluminum foil, or a silicon baking mat. You will need more than 1 baking sheet or you will need to reuse the same baking sheet in order to fit all the cookies.
- Shaping the cookies - remove one block of dough from the fridge and set on a lightly floured surface. Flour your rolling pin and roll out the dough until about 1/8'' thick. You may have to periodically dust the surface of the dough with flour to prevent sticking. Use a 2'' cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. Use a smaller cookie cutter to cut a small shape out of half the cookies. Set cookies on your prepared baking sheet, about 1/2'' apart. Re-roll the scraps of the dough and repeat until all of the dough is used up. Repeat with the other block of dough. Chill cookies for 15 - 20 minutes in the refrigerator.Each block of dough should yield 15 - 16 cookies.
- Remove from refrigerator and bake for 9 to 10 minutes on the middle rack of the oven until crisp. Do not bake multiple sheets of cookies on different levels of the oven at the same time - this will lead to uneven baking. Let cookies cool completely before filling.
Filling the cookies
- Pipe or spread a ring of chocolate ganache around the edge of cookie that does not have a cut-out. Spoon a tsp of strawberry jam in the center. Sandwich with another cookie of the opposite flavor that does have a cut-out. So if you start with a chocolate cookie, then you want to sandwich it with a pistachio cookie.
Notes
- I made my own homemade ganache with 70g of semisweet chocolate and 70g of heavy whipping cream, using the recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction. I let it set to room temperature before piping. If you don't want to make your own ganache, you can use Nutella or some other thick chocolate spread.
- If using liquid food dye instead of powdered, add a drop or two to the creamed butter and sugar.