Salt-N-Pepper Sandwich Cookies-Leave Your Link

Like the Baked Explorations cookbook says, these cookies are crisp and toothsome, with a hint of salt and pepper that works beautifully with the cocoa powder, and then are  filled with a pretty close approximation of the Classic Oreo filling-less the trans fats and chemicals. These taste even better if you give them a few hours for the flavors to develop-that's if you can keep your hands off of them that long !

Ingredients
For the Cookies
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fleur de sel, plus more for decorating
2 teaspoons white pepper
1/4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder (like Valrhona)
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter,cut into 1 inch cubes, cool
 but not cold.
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 3/4 cups confectioner's sugar
3 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 ounces good quality dark chocolate (60 to 72%), melted

For the Vanilla Filling
5 ounces vegetable shortening, at room temperature
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small
 chunks, at room temperature
3 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon light rum

Make the Cookies

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt, fleur de sel, white pepper, and cocoa powder. Set aside.

In the bowl of a standing 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 sides and bottom of the bowl and beat again for 10 seconds.

Add half of the dry ingredients and beat for 15 seconds. Again, scrape down the bowl, add the remaining dry ingredients and beat until just incorporated.

Loosely shape the dough into two balls, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate them for at least 3 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Unwrap one ball of dough and divide it into two equal portions. Place the first portion on a lightly flour-dusted work surface and return the other to the refrigerator.

Use your hands to knead the dough until pliable and form into a small disc. Roll the dough into a 1/4 inch-thick round. It will be slightly sticky, so you may have to flip and lightly flour it a few times while you work. Use a 2-inch round cookie cutter to create your sandwich tops and bottoms, and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch of space around each cookie. Continue the process with the remaining dough. Extra 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 10 to 12 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.

Make the Vanilla Filling

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the shortening and butter 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.

Assemble the Salt-N-Pepper Sandwich Cookies

Use a pastry bag or a small spoon to apply about 2 tablespoons of filling to 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. Let them set up for about 15 minutes before serving. Store the cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

BAKED NOTES
In this recipe he suggests using a 2 inch round cookie cutter; however it is only for guidance. If you roll your dough to 1/4 inch thick your cookie will be crisper-but if you want a chewier cookie roll out the dough to 1/2 inch thick and the cookies for a minute less.