Individual Chocolate Cookie Stacks

Total Time: 51 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 6 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup ground almonds, toasted
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• large-grain sugar
• 1/4 cup real semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon shortening
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• chocolate syrup
• 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
• fresh mint leaves, if desired

Recipe

• 1 heat oven to 375°f
• 2 combine flour, ground almonds and 2/3 cup cocoa in medium bowl; set aside.
• 3 combine butter and 1 1/3 cups sugar in large bowl.
• 4 beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy.
• 5 add egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
• 6 continue beating until well mixed.
• 7 reduce speed to low; add flour mixture.
• 8 beat until combined.
• 9 divide dough into fourths.
• 10 wrap each fourth in plastic food wrap; flatten slightly.
• 11 refrigerate until firm (1 hour).
• 12 roll out dough on lightly floured surface, one-fourth at a time (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to 1/8-inch thickness.
• 13 cut with 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter into 18 circles.
• 14 place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
• 15 cut 2 circles into fourths. (do not separate.)
• 16 sprinkle all cookies with large grain sugar.
• 17 bake for 6 to 9 minutes or until set.
• 18 cool completely.
• 19 combine chocolate chips and shortening in small microwave-safe bowl.
• 20 microwave on high until melted (30 seconds to 1 minute), stirring occasionally; cool slightly.
• 21 line baking sheet with waxed paper.
• 22 dip curved edge of cookie wedges in melted chocolate.
• 23 place onto waxed paper.
• 24 refrigerate until firm (2 hours).
• 25 combine all vanilla cream ingredients in small bowl.
• 26 beat at high speed until stiff peaks form.
• 27 for each serving, drizzle chocolate syrup onto individual serving plate; place 1 cookie over syrup.
• 28 pipe circle of vanilla cream onto cookie; top with strawberry slices, additonal piped vanilla cream and second cookie.
• 29 pipe vanilla cream over second cookie.
• 30 garnish with 2 strawberry slices and 1 chocolate-dipped cookie wedge.
• 31 tip: cookie stacks can be assembled ahead of time. cover and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours before serving.