Monday, June 15, 2009

Chocolate Shortbread Cookies with Truffle Cream Filling

I’ve admitted to being somewhat chocolate-ambivalent, but I think it’s more likely a matter of schizophrenia. When given a dessert menu, I probably won’t select a chocolate option, but every once in a blue moon, I get inspired to bake with chocolate. A few years ago, I read Chocolate Obsession by Michael Recchiuti. I had no ambivalence about chocolate while reading this book. It contains one photo after the next of delectable-looking chocolate items. The second chapter is about truffles, and I was completely inspired by the infused ganaches. Earl grey, jasmine, lavender, and cardamom were some of the flavored ganaches suggested for making truffles. After reading this, I went on a truffle-tasting binge. Every time I passed a chocolate counter, I had to try various truffles and then spend some time daydreaming about making my own. Well, I never got around to switching to a career of truffle-making, but I finally did try the truffle cream filled chocolate cookies from that book.

The cookies themselves are simply chocolate shortbread made with cocoa powder. The recipe made a crumbly dough which needed to rest in the refrigerator for at least a few hours before being rolled. Once rolled into a thin sheet, the dough was cut into one and a half inch rounds. The baked rounds were then filled with a rich chocolate truffle cream made from 65 percent cacao chocolate, heavy cream, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla. I actually went to the trouble of putting the truffle cream in a piping bag so as to swirl it onto the sandwich cookie bottoms. Ordinarily, I run screaming from piping bags, but these petite cookies just begged for the added attention to detail. The sandwich tops were to have been dusted with cocoa powder, but I used the last of mine to make the cookie dough. Instead, I dusted the tops with espresso powder.

The cookies were sturdy but yielding. Bigger versions of them would be perfect for ice cream sandwiches. They had just the right amount of chocolate flavor, and I had to remind myself that they were meant to be filled and sandwiched and not just eaten out of hand. Thankfully, I restrained myself well enough to have plenty left to fill. Now, the highlight, the truffle cream, was ridiculous. It was silky and richly chocolaty and maintained a lightness even after the finished cookies had sat in the refrigerator overnight. I’m already planning alternate flavor infusions for the ganache for the next time I make this truffle cream to fill cookies. Although, I may have to spend some time perusing the book’s chocolate drinks chapter or the ice cream chapter before I make it back to the cookies for a second time.


43 comments:

  1. Mmmm chocolate. Your shortbreads look pretty perfect.

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  2. I would be perfectly happy eating just the shortbread cookies alone. But life sure is more meaningful with added ganache.

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  3. these look so good I feel like sneaking off to texas to see if I can find them through smell - I bet the aroma was fantastic

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  4. My favorite cookie of all time is shortbread, and especially the chocolate variety. Adding a chocolate filling just takes it over the moon! I'm adding this recipe to my delicious bookmarks!

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  5. Oh my goodness, those look addicting! YUMMY!

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  6. These look perfect - I love your addition of espresso powder!

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  7. I'm like you. I'm not much of a chocolate lover. I never got why ppl raved over brownies and chocolate ice cream. But occasionally I do crave chocolates, and looking at these gorgeous pics is suddenly giving me some truffle craving too...

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  8. I could eat like 20 of those, I would just pop them until I got a bellyache.

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  9. I'd love to have some of that. The truffle cream filling sounds delish!!. Looks like you've made a whole bunch. Mind shipping some over? =)

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  10. I would be happy to have some of these in place of dinner - or breakfast - or lunch. they look beautiful and I'll bet they're wonderful.

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  11. Your chocolate shrotbread is truly beautiful and delicious looking Lisa!

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  12. You had me at chocolate, but those cookies really do look delicious. Must get over my fear of rolling out dough--I have bookmarked several sandwich cookie recipes lately.

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  13. Oh wow, they're beautiful and sound so decadent! That truffle cream filling sounds addicting!

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  14. A chocolate heaven! The truffle cream filling sounds wonderful!

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  15. Mmmmm. With treats like this, I cant understand how you still don't like chocolate!

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  16. I love shortbread and I love chocolate so this recipe sounds perfect!!!

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  17. these look PERFECT. You're amazing with details :)

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  18. wow..these look good. I would have to stop myself from eating the entire batch!

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  19. I will take one dozen to go, please!

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  20. clearly, that filling looks like absolute decadence and most definitely would have to be squirted directly into my mouth, at least at first. i suppose, if i find the strength, a bit of it could go between two cookies. :)

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  21. Every time i come here, there is a pretty surprise waiting:-) the truffle looks divine.

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  22. I am kind of the same way about chocolate, but oh my that truffle cream sounds amazing.

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  23. Wow. I am a serious chocolate fiend so these look and sound delectable!

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  24. My heart skipped a beat when I read that title!!!!! AMAZING!

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  25. Oh my gosh, this one ought to have come with a warning label, I had no idea what to expect - it looks sinfully good, the cookies alone with out the ganach would be delish

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  26. I might have skipped the cookies and eaten the truffle creme with a spoon! Hehe. These look too good to be true!

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  27. I've had a fierce chocolate craving lately -- these look just about perfect. I'm not sure mine would ever make it to sandwich status though -- too tempting to eat as they come off the tray. If I did manage a sammich, the other half of my household would definitely vote for the ice cream version.

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  28. Those look absolutely gorgeous. I think the piping was definitely the way to go. They look so elegant.

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  29. Great googly moogly those look amazing!

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  30. Your baking skills are spectacular. I am in awe. GREG

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  31. I see the truffle cream is chocolate too! Chocolate heaven...oooh-lala!

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  32. Those look mouthwateringly delicious!

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  33. A cookie and truffle all in one! My kind of treat.

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  34. They look so rich and professionally made. The filling looks delicious!

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  35. They look perfect! I love the swirl that the piping bag has given to the filling.. I can't resist chocolate... gotta have it!

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  36. OMG they look soooooo good! I always go for the choc dessert on the menu =)

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  37. What delicious looking cookies! Wonderful!

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  38. OMG, those cookies are so tempting! A luscious treat!

    cheers,

    Rosa

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  39. Oh wow, they looks so delicious! And so expertly made! Beautiful!

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  40. These are so gorgeous - and so fancy looking. The truffle filling sounds incredible. Such decadent little treats!

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  41. "When given a dessert menu, I probably won’t select a chocolate option, but . . . I get inspired to bake with chocolate. " I'm the same way! I consider myself a bit of a chocoholic, but when out and about, I usually opt for other flavors.

    It's just as well that I'll need to find this book in order to get the truffle recipe. Otherwise, I'd be rummaging through the kitchen and making dash to the store so that I can make it ASAP! These are unbelievably delicious-looking!

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  42. Love Chocolate cookies!! I will have to make this recipe tonight!

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