Chocolate Malt Sandwiches

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened dutch cocoa
• 1/4 cup plain instant malted milk powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup creme fraiche
• 3 tablespoons hot water
• 10 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup plain instant malted milk powder
• 3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup half-and-half, plus
• 2 tablespoons half-and-half
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Recipe

• 1 1. preheat oven to 350 degrees. 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, creme fraiche, and hot water. reduce speed to low; mix in flour mixture.
• 2 2. 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 on wire racks.
• 3 making filling: melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simming 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.
• 4 3. 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 temperature up to 3 days.