Toasted Hazelnut Filled Dulce De Leche Cookies
Serves: 2
Llewellyn Gorczany
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
53
Spice
54
Sweetness
48
Sourness
36
mins
Prep time (avg)
5.4
Difficulty
Ingredients:
2 cups
Unbleached All-Purpose Flour1.25 tsps
Kosher Salt1 tsp
Ground Cinnamon1 tsp
Ground Cloves1 cup
Sugar (confectioners')2 tsps
Pure Vanilla ExtractDirections:
1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
2
Make the dulce de leche one day in advance: I like to put a small folded piece of kitchen towel on the bottom of a small, heavy-duty saucepan
3
Set the can directly on top and fill the saucepan with enough water to reach 2 to 3 inches over the can
4
Bring the pot to a full boil, then lower to a simmer
5
Cook for 3 to 4 hours, checking the water every 30 minutes
6
Don't let the water level get below the can or evaporate completely
7
You will destroy the pot and not have properly cooked dulce de leche
8
I like a darker, more caramelized cream, so I cook it for 4 hours (though 3 hours will work)
9
Very carefully remove the hot can from the pot with tongs
10
Allow the can to cool for 24 hours at room temperature before opening
11
Store in the refrigerator for up to one week after opening
12
For the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
13
Spread the hazelnuts in a single layer on a sheet pan and bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes
14
Let cool to room temperature
15
Put the hazelnuts, flour, salt, cinnamon and cloves in a food processor
16
Pulse 8 to 10 times until the hazelnuts are finely chopped
17
Remove the mixture from the processor and set aside
18
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar and orange zest until fluffy, about 2 minutes
19
Add the vanilla and maple extracts and the dry ingredients; mix until the dough comes together, 1 to 2 minutes
20
Divide the dough into two disks, flatten them, wrap in plastic and chill for 1 hour
21
Working with one disk of dough at a time, roll the dough between two sheets of parchment
22
Roll out to an 11- to- 12-inch round
23
The dough should be slightly thinner than 1/4 inch
24
Chill that piece and repeat with the second disk
25
Chill both rounds of dough until very firm (the freezer can help if time is important)
26
Line two sheet pans with parchment; set aside
27
From one round of dough, cut out twenty-eight 2 1/2-inch cookies
28
I like to use a square cutter just to mix it up from the traditional round cookie
29
Cut out cookies from the second round of dough-these will become the tops of the cookies
30
You will need to cut out a small 1-inch round center hole from the second set of cookies, which will allow you to see the filling of the finished cookie
31
Bake the punched holes for snacking on
32
Once all the cookies are cut, arrange on the prepared pans and chill until cold or overnight
33
Bake the cookies until they're light golden brown, 16 to 18 minutes
34
Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature
35
Top the bottom cookies with the dulce de leche or your favorite fruit jam or jelly
36
I love cranberry-orange jam
37
Sift confectioners' sugar on the cookie tops while on the sheet pan, then place on top of the filled bottom cookies; light press together
38
The filled cookies should be eaten the same day
39
Unfilled cookies will sit very well for 4 to 5 days wrapped airtight at room temperature