Hazelnut-Chocolate Stars

[Guest guest]

Hazelnut-Chocolate Stars

 

1 1/2 cups hazelnuts

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1 1/3 cups plus

1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

 

For apricot filling:

1 pound dried apricots, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 cup water

1 tablespoon sugar

 

1. Finely chop hazelnuts in a food processor; remove

to a bowl. Finely chop chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon

flour in food processor; add to the nuts. Set aside.

 

2. Sift the 11/3 cups of flour, baking powder and

salt. Set aside.

 

3. Cream butter and brown sugar in a bowl with an

electric mixer until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla;

beat until well combined.

 

4. Add the flour mixture to the butter in thirds,

beating well after each addition. Add the

hazelnut-chocolate chip mixture, using a wooden spoon

and mixing until the dough is well combined.

 

5. Form the dough into three flat disks, dusting with

a little flour, if necessary, to prevent sticking;

wrap in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for 12

to 24 hours.

 

6. Remove one disk from the refrigerator and roll on a

lightly floured work surface into an 11-inch circle,

1/4-inch thick. Cut out stars using a star-shaped

cookie cutter. (You may use different sizes of stars

for variety.) Save the scraps and reform into a disk.

Chill the scraps slightly before rolling out and

cutting. Repeat with other disks.

 

7. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place the stars on

parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake one sheet at a

time until the cookies are brown around the edges,

about 7 to 8 minutes. Cool cookies on a rack.

 

8. Prepare apricot filling: Place all ingredients in a

small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, uncovered,

stirring frequently, until all of the liquid is

absorbed, about 10 minutes. Puree this mixture in the

food processor until smooth. Allow the filling to cool

completely before filling the cookies. (Filling may be

prepared a day in advance and refrigerated.)

 

9. Fill the cookies just before serving, if possible,

so they stay crisp: Spread a thin layer of the filling

on the bottom side of one star and sandwich with

another, bottom-side facing the filling.

 

Makes 45 sandwich cookies. Per cookie: 122 calories,

16g carbohydrates, no protein, 6g fat, 14mg

cholesterol.

 

 

=====

Language is an expression of thought. Everytime you speak, your mind is on

Parade Exodus 20:8-11 & Hebrews 4:9

 

 

 

Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now.

http://mailplus.