Chocolate Filled Almond Spritz Cookies

A really terrific variation of the old classic.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 30-40
• Yields: 36 cookies

Ingredients

• cookies

• 1⁄2 cup  un-blanched  sliced almonds
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1  cup unsalted butter
• 1  large egg
• 2  teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2  teaspoons  almond extract
• 2  cups  bleached all purpose flour
• 1  pinch salt

• filling

• 3  ounces  milk chocolate, chopped fine
• 3  ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
• 6  tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 6 chunks

Directions

1. On a baking sheet roast almonds until lightly browned, about 6-8 minutes, toss every 2-3 minutes Allow to cool to room temperature.
2. FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD---------------------.
3. Grind almonds and sugar in a food processor until very fine.
4. Cut butter into 16 chunks, with the processor add butter a chunk at a time.
5. Process until creamy.
6. Scrape down bowl.
7. Add egg and extract, process until mixed, scrape down bowl.
8. Add flour and salt, pulse until just combined.
9. Scrape into a bowl.
10. ELECTRIC MIXER METHOD--------------------------°- .
11. Whisk flour and salt in a medium bowl.
12. Cut butter in to 16 pcs, Allow butter and eggs to come to room temperature.
13. Grind almonds to a fine powder (can be done with a rolling pin and a plastic bag).
14. In a second medium bowl cream butter, sugar until very light and fluffy.
15. Add almonds, beat until well combined.
16. Lightly beat egg and extracts, add to butter mixture, beat until just combined.
17. Stir in flour and salt until just combined.
18. BOTH METHODS---------------------.
19. With a cookie press or pastry bag fitted with a no 22 tip, put cookies on parchment lined cookie sheets, about 1 1/2 inches apart.
20. Decorate with colored sugar, etc.
21. Preheat oven to 375°F.
22. Refrigerate Cookies on the sheet for 20 minutes, this will help them hold their shape.
23. Bake cookies one pan at a time for 8-10 minutes (until very lightly browned), rotate pan halfway through the baking to promote even cooking.
24. Allow to sit on sheet for 3-4 minutes, remove with an angled spatula to a rack.
25. Cool completely.
26. FILLING----------------------.
27. Melt 3/4 of the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of hot water (160 degrees or so) (bowl must not touch water).
28. When chocolate starts to melt remove from heat and stir until smooth, add remaining chocolate and stir until smooth.
29. Let the chocolate sit until it's no longer warm to the touch and SLOWLY beat in the butter.
30. Do not over beat this mixture.
31. Place the mixture in a freezer bag (corner cut off) or pastry bag and pipe it on to the bottom of 1/2 of the cookies.
32. Cover with second half to form a sandwich.
33. Do about 10 at a time as the chocolate mixture will start to set up.
34. Let cookies set for 2 hours for filling to set 100%.
35. Store covered in an airtight container for about a month.