Chocolate Malt Cookie Sandwich

Malted milk powder, with a combination of powdered milk, wheat flour, and malted barley adds a rick component to both these cookies and their filling. A double dose of coholcate (chopped semisweet and cocoa powder) makes these sandwich cookies extra decadent. Makes about 1 - 1 1/2 dozen.

Preparation of cookies:

- 2 cups and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup plain malted milk powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 cup (1 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup créme fraiche
- 2 tablespoon hot water

Preparation for filling:

- 10 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 cup plain malted milk powder
- 3 ounces cream cheese, room temp
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons half and half
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preparation Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Make cookies: sift together flour, cocoa powder, malted milk powder, baking soda, and salt. With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg, vanilla, creme fraiche, and hot water. Reduce speed to low; mix in flour mixture.

Space tablespoon-size balls of dough 3-1/2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake until flat and just firm, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on parchment wire racks.

Make filling: Melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring. Let cool. With an electric mixer, beat malted milk powder and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Gradually mix in half and half, chocolate mixture, and vanilla. Refrigerate, covered, until thick, about 30 minutes. Mix on high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Assemble cookies: spread a heaping tablespoon filling on the bottom of one cookie. Sandwich with another cookie. Repeat. Cookies can be refrigerated between layers of parchment in airtight containers at room temp up to 3 days.