Butterballs With Chocolate Ganache

These are delicious sandwich cookies that are really elegant served during the holidays or for a wedding. They do require chilling which is not included in the preparation time. Baking time is 12 minutes per batch.

• Ready In: 57 mins
• Serves: 42
• Yields: 3 1/2 dozen

Ingredients

• Vanilla sugar

• 1⁄2 vanilla bean
• 1  cup sugar

• Cookies

• 1  cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 cup  raspberry jam or 1⁄2 cup  chocolate ganache

• Chocolate Ganache

• 3  ounces  semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1⁄3 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. For vanilla sugar, split vanilla bean; scrape out seeds.
2. In small bowl, whisk vanilla bean, seeds and sugar.
3. Cover and let stand overnight.
4. Cookies: In large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter until creamy, about 3 minutes.
5. Beat in sugar until light and fluffy.
6. On low speed, beat in flour just until blended.
7. Shape dough into a disk; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.
8. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls; place on a large rimmed baking sheet and freeze 30 minutes.
9. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
10. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
11. Place balls on prepared sheets, 1 inch apart.
12. Bake 10-12 minutes, or just until firm (do not brown).
13. Cool completely on pans on wire racks.
14. Spread flat side of half of cookies with jam or chocolate ganache; top with remaining cookies to form sandwiches.
15. Roll cookies in vanilla sugar to coat.
16. For Chocolate Ganache: Put 3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped, in a bowl.
17. In saucepan, heat 1/3 cup heavy cream over medium-high heat just until small bubbles appear around edge of pan.
18. Pour cream over chocolate; whisk until smooth.
19. Cool at least 20 minutes, whisking occassionally, or until thickened.
20. This chocolate ganache recipe makes about 1/2 cup.