Chocolate-Almond Sandwiches

Directions

Cookies: Grind almonds with sugar in food processor to a fine powder.

Sift flour, cocoa and baking powder into a medium bowl.

Cream butter in a large bowl.

Add almond mixture; beat until smooth and fluffy.

Using a wooden spoon, stir in cocoa mixture.

Dough will seem dry at first, but stir until it comes together.

Divide dough in half. Spoon each half onto a sheet of waxed paper.

Roll in a log, about 1½ inches in diameter.

Wrap in waxed paper.

Refrigerate 2 hours. Roll each log again to an even round shape.

Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375℉ (190℃).

Cut each log in about ¼ inch thick slices with a thin sharp knife.

Put slices on ungreased baking sheet, about 1½ inches apart.

Bake 10 to 11 minutes or until cookies are just set; they burn easily on the bottom.

Carefully transfer to racks with a metal spatula; cool completely.

Ganache: Put white chocolate in a small bowl.

Bring cream to a full boil in a small heavy saucepan.

Pour over chocolate all at once.

Stir with a whisk until mixture is smooth.

Cool to room temperature.

Refrigerate 30 minutes, stirring occasionally with whisk, until cold and thick, but not set.

Whip mixture at high speed 3 minutes or until lighter in color and thickened.

Spread about 2 teaspoons ganache on flat sides of half the cookies.

Sandwich each with a flat side of a second cookie, choosing cookies of the same size to put together.

Refrigerate 15 minutes to set before serving.

Cookies can be kept, covered, 1 week in the refrigerator.

Serve at room temperature.

Makes 28 cookie sandwiches.

White chocolate ganache is the filling of these thin, extra- crisp, cocoa-almond cookies.

The cookies are easy to shape - the dough is simply formed into cylinders and sliced.