Chocolate Almond Delights

The chocolate and nut filling in this classic butter cookie takes it from oh-so-good to a standout in decadence that you’ll reach for again and again. Enjoy it with an array of other butter cookies, and a cup of English Breakfast tea. The combination is so warming you may just wish for a moment that you were sitting in a ski lodge instead of sunny Myrtle Beach… but only for a moment.

Be sure to use the highest quality ingredients you can find— especially for the butter, flour and chocolate. With so few ingredients, the basics really stand out and make a statement on the palate. If you prefer, substitute dark chocolate for milk or bittersweet.

Cookie

⅛ cup blanched almonds

2 sticks unsalted butter, cut up

½ cup confectionary sugar

2 cups flour

⅛ tsp salt

1 tsp almond extract

Filling

3 ounces dark chocolate

2 Tbs unsalted butter

2 Tbs heavy cream

½ tsp almond extract

pinch of salt

1 cup confectionary sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toast almonds until lightly browned; not dark, about 5 minutes. When cool, chop finely and set aside. In a food processor or mixer, mix butter and sugar until smooth. Add remaining cookie ingredients. Do not overmix.

Roll pieces of dough the size of a marble into a ball and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes or until firm; do not brown.

For the filling, chop chocolate finely. Boil butter and heavy cream in a saucepan then add to the chocolate and mix either in a food processor or beater until the chocolate is smooth. Add the remaining ingredients. Do not overmix. While the filling is still warm, spread ½ tsp on the bottom of a cookie, and place another cookie on the other side to make a sandwich. Roll the chocolate edge in the chopped almonds.