Jane’s Sweets & Baking Journal -- http://janessweets.blogspot.com--September 2010

Kahlua and Cream Shortbread Sandwich Cookies

(*I adapted this recipe from one for Kahlua Shortbread that has been attributed on the internet, within various sites, to the Regatta Cafe of Scituate, MA.)

1 and 1/4 cups unsalted butter, softened

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 granulated sugar

3 and 1/2 cups All Purpose flour (I used unbleached)

1 and 1/2 Tbsp. Dutch process cocoa

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. instant coffee powder or crystals

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 and 3/4 Tbsp. Kahlua

2 Tbsp. heavy cream

1/2 cup high-quality dark chocolate pieces (I used Ghirardelli dark chocolate chips)

2 to 3 Tbsp. Nutella chocolate-hazelnut spread

In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar and granulated sugar.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, the cocoa, and the kosher salt.

In a very small bowl, mix together the coffee powder/crystals, vanilla extract, and Kahlua. Add into that the heavy cream and stir until combined.

In the large bowl of your mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and confectioners' sugar until it's nice and smooth; stop and scrape as needed. Add in the Kahlua mixture, beating until well blended.

Add in the flour, in two or three batches, beating on medium speed just until the flour is well incorporated. Stop to scrape the bowl with each addition of flour.

Scoop the dough out equally onto two sheets of plastic wrap. Shape each chunk into a thick disk and wrap it securely. Chill the dough in the fridge for several hours or overnight.

When the dough is fully chilled and you're ready to form the cookies, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Take the dough out of the fridge, and let it soften at room temperature just long enough so it can be rolled out; if it gets too soft it will be impossible to roll (in which case you could always form it into balls if you wanted, and roll them in the sugar or leave them plain).

Flour your rolling pin and, on a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to a thickness of less than 1/4 inch. Cut it with a cookie cutter and place the pieces onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Sprinkle each cookie lightly on top with a pinch of granulated sugar.

Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, just until they start to look golden on the bottom and slightly golden around the edges. Let the finished cookies cool on the cookie sheet for five minutes before you attempt to remove them to a cooling rack.

To make the filling, melt the chocolate chips in a small bowl set over simmering water, or do it carefully and slowly in your microwave. While the melted chocolate is still quite warm, stir in the Nutella until the mixture is completely smooth. Let it cool to almost room temperature (it will thicken a bit) before attempting to sandwich the cookies together.

On the bottom of one cookie, dab a small dollop--perhaps one teaspoon--of the filling, and top it off with another cookie, so both cookie bottoms are touching the filling, and the sugared sides are on the outside. Press the two cookies together just enough so the filling reaches near the edge. Let the cookies sit in a cool spot, or refrigerate them for a few minutes, to set the filling.