Chocolate Mint Sandwich Cookies

Yields 60-70 sandwich cookies.

• Prep time: 20min + dough and ganache chilling time
• Cook time: 10min
• Total time: 30min
• Difficulty: Basic

A classic flavor combination packed into cookies. They’re buttery and deliciously chocolatey, with a refreshing mint aftertaste on the tongue. The cocoa nibs and mint sugar give the shortbread a lovely texture and flavor. They are optional, but they enhance the overall eating experience, so if you have some on hand, take a few minutes to sprinkle them over the cookies.

For the shortbread cookies.

Ingredients:

• 240g butter, at room temperature
• 200g sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• 380g all-purpose flour
• cocoa nibs to decorate (optional)
• mint sugar to decorate (optional)

Directions:

Cream together the butter and sugar in the bowl of your standing mixer. Continue to beat in the vanilla and egg until well combined. Mix the flour into the butter mixture on low speed until the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface, divide it in half, and flatten each half into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Two baking sheets should be lined with parchment paper. Roll the chilled dough until it is 3 mm thick on a well-floured surface. Using cookie cutters, cut desired shapes. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets and sprinkle with cocoa nibs and mint sugar. Reroll scraps and cut shapes from them. Rep with the remaining dough. For 9-10 minutes, bake the cookies. Remove from oven as soon as the edges begin to brown. They should remain light in color with only a slight light-brown tint on the bottom. Before filling, allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

For the chocolate mint ganache filling.

Ingredients:

• 300g chopped dark chocolate
• 200ml heavy cream
• 2 handfuls fresh mint, bruised
• 4 tbsp mint liqueur
• 2 tsp butter

Directions:

Set aside the chopped chocolate in a heat-resistant bowl. Combine the cream and bruised mint leaves in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring the cream to a boil, then remove from the heat.

Allow to steep for 30 minutes, covered with a lid. Bring the mixture back to a boil, strain, and pour over the chocolate pieces. Set aside for a few minutes, or until the chocolate is melted. Stir in the mint liqueur and butter until the cream and chocolate are well combined. The ganache should be thick and smooth.

Refrigerate for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the ganache reaches a silky spreadable consistency. Spread about a teaspoon of the ganache on the bottom side of one cookie and top with another cookie to assemble. Sandwich the cookies together in an airtight container. Sandwiched cookies can be stored for 4-5 days.

---

Commentary.

The shortbread is deliciously short and buttery, and the cocoa nibs and mint sugar add texture and flavor. Cocoa nibs and mint sugar are optional, but they greatly enhance the overall eating experience. Mint sugar is extremely simple to make. The method is the same as I used for delicious berry tarts with basil sugar not long ago. The mint chocolate ganache is silky, creamy, and deliciously chocolatey, with a refreshing aftertaste on the tongue. Overall, this was a very successful cookie.

Thank you!