Chocolate Malt Sandwich Cookies
Sandwich cookies made with malted milk powder, featuring crisp shells and a light, creamy chocolate-malt filling.
Ingredients
all-purpose white flour
2 cup
unsweetened American-style cocoa powder (sifted after measuring, if lumpy)
1/2 cup
plain malted milk powder (not chocolate-flavored)
2 tbsp
baking soda
1 tsp
salt
1/2 tsp
CHOCOLATE-MALT FILLING: semisweet chocolate morsels
1 2/3 cups (10 ounces)
CHOCOLATE-MALT FILLING: unsalted butter (cut into chunks)
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp
CHOCOLATE-MALT FILLING: plain malted milk powder (not chocolate-flavored)
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp
sugar
3 1/4 cups
unsalted butter (slightly softened)
2/3 cup (1 stick plus 2 2/3 tbsp)
corn oil (or other flavorless vegetable oil)
1/3 cup
sour cream
1/4 cup
large egg
1
vanilla extract
2 tsp
cream cheese (softened slightly and cut into chunks)
1 3-ounce package
milk
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp
Instructions
1
Preheat Oven
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease several baking sheets or coat with nonstick spray.
2
Mixing Dough
In a medium bowl, thoroughly stir together the flour, cocoa powder, malted milk powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together the sugar, butter, and oil until well blended. Add the sour cream, egg, and vanilla and beat until well blended; the mixture may look curdled. Beat in half of the flour mixture, scraping down the sides several times. Beat in 3 tbsp hot water, then beat or stir in the remaining flour mixture until evenly incorporated.
3
Shaping
Drop the dough onto the baking sheets using a 1/4-cup measure or coffee scoop, spacing about 2 1/2 inches apart. Using a lightly greased hand, pat down the tops just slightly.
4
Baking Cookies
Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, in the middle of the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the tops begin to flatten and the cookies are just barely firm in the centers. Reverse the sheet from front to back halfway through baking to ensure even browning. Transfer the sheet to a wire rack and let stand until the cookies are slightly firm, about 3 minutes. Using a spatula, transfer the cookies to wire racks. Let stand until completely cooled.
5
Making Filling - Chocolate Base
In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, microwave the chocolate morsels and butter on 100-percent power for 1 1/2 minutes. Stir well. Continue microwaving on 50-percent power, stirring at 30-second intervals. Stop microwaving before the chocolate is completely melted and let the residual heat do the job. (Alternatively, in a small, heavy saucepan, melt the chocolate morsels and butter over lowest heat, stirring frequently; be very careful not to burn. Immediately remove from the heat.) Let cool to warm.
6
Making Filling - Mixing
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together the malted milk powder and cream cheese until well blended and completely smooth. Beat in half of the chocolate mixture just until incorporated. Beat in the milk, 1 tbsp at a time, until well blended. Beat in the remaining chocolate mixture and the vanilla until evenly incorporated. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until somewhat thickened but not stiff. (Alternatively, if you are in a hurry, set the bowl in a larger bowl of ice water and stir until it cools and thickens.) Beat the filling on high speed until light in color and very fluffy, about 3 minutes more; scrape down the sides several times.
7
Assembling
Spread about 2 1/2 tbsp of the filling on the underside of half of the cookies. Top each cookie with a second cookie about the same size. Press the two together until the filling squeezes out the edge. Let stand for at least 5 minutes so the flavors can mingle before serving.
