Flat scalloped almond shortcrust rounds joined with dark-chocolate ganache, an Italian-style home sandwich cookie.
Almond Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
Follow the tray sizes, portions and baking intervals in the instructions below.
Allow about 210 minutes: 45 hands-on, 60 chilling or resting, 30 whole-batch cooking and 75 cooling/setting. Cooling includes tray rest. Follow the method for batch sizes and doneness cues.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- Kitchen scale and US measures
- Mixing bowl
- Rolling pin
- 2-inch scalloped cutter
- Two 13 × 18-inch baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Cooling rack
- Small saucepan
- Heatproof bowl
- Small spreading knife
Flat scalloped almond shortcrust rounds joined with dark-chocolate ganache, an Italian-style home sandwich cookie.
Ingredients
Optional sprinkles are for decoration and are not included in the nutrition estimate. Spice weights are approximate.
Instructions
Make almond shortcrust
- 1Make almond shortcrustMix flour, almond flour, powdered sugar and salt. Rub in cool butter until sandy, then mix in yolks and almond extract. Press together into a smooth disk without kneading. Wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
Cut flat scalloped rounds
- 2Cut flat scalloped roundsHeat oven to 350°F (177°C) conventional or 325°F (163°C) fan. Roll dough between parchment to 3/16 inch thick. Cut 40 rounds using a 2-inch scalloped cutter, rerolling scraps briefly. Arrange 20 halves on each of two lined 13 × 18-inch sheets, 1 inch apart; keep every round solid with no center window.
Bake and cool
- 3Bake and coolBake one sheet at a time 12–15 minutes, 30 minutes for both, until edges are pale golden and centers look dry. Rest 5 minutes on each sheet and rack-cool another 25 minutes.
Make and spread the ganache
- 4Make and spread the ganacheHeat cream in a small saucepan just until steaming, about 3 minutes included in active time. Pour over chopped chocolate, wait 2 minutes and stir until smooth. Cool about 25 minutes until spreadable. Divide roughly 8 g ganache onto the flat sides of 20 cold cookies and add the remaining 20 tops. Refrigerate the assembled cookies 20 minutes to set. The conservative 75-minute cooling budget includes cookie cooling, ganache thickening and final setting.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Ingredient science
Use a thin flat shortcrust round rather than a small dome; these are not duplicate baci di dama.
Technique & texture
Let ganache thicken before joining halves so it forms a visible narrow seam.
Finishing & serving
Pair similar-size rounds before allocating the filling.
Storage and make-ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | Up to 2 hours for serving | Return remaining cream-filled sandwiches to refrigeration. |
| Refrigeration | Up to 3 days | Keep finished cookies airtight with parchment between layers. |
| Raw freezing | Up to 1 month | Freeze the wrapped shortcrust disk and thaw overnight in the refrigerator. |
| Baked freezing | Up to 1 month | Freeze unfilled baked halves airtight; make fresh ganache after thawing. |
| Restoring | Before serving | Thaw halves sealed, fill and refrigerate; serve portions after a brief rest out of the refrigerator. |
Notes
- Use a thin flat shortcrust round rather than a small dome; these are not duplicate baci di dama. Let ganache thicken before joining halves so it forms a visible narrow seam. Pair similar-size rounds before allocating the filling. This home formula has not been kitchen-tested.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per serving calculated from ingredient weights divided by 20; required fillings and toppings included, optional decorations excluded. Brands, unused coating and actual serving size affect the estimate.
THE COOKIE INDEXITALIANCHRISTMAS COOKIES
Frequently Asked Questions
Do twenty cookies mean twenty baked rounds?
No. Bake forty solid rounds and pair them into twenty finished sandwiches.
Are these traditional baci di dama?
No. These flat scalloped almond frollini with cream ganache are a declared home adaptation.
Can I keep the filled cookies in a gift tin?
Because this filling contains cream, keep them refrigerated and bring out small portions for serving.
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