CHOCOLATE CREAM-FILLED CROQUANTES
Yield: About 14
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (4½ ounces) granulated sugar
½ cup sifted cake flour or allpurpose flour 2 large egg whites
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
8 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate ½ cup crème fraîche, see note ¼ cup chocolate sprinkles
Note: Crème fraîche is available in the dairy section of fine grocery stores. If you cannot find it, use heavy cream.
Place the sugar and flour in a medium bowl and whisk to blend. Whisk in the egg whites and vanilla until well-blended. Whisk in the melted butter until a smooth, thin batter is formed. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and position an oven rack in the center. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat. Drop about 1 tablespoon of the batter onto the mat. Use a thin spatula, preferably offset, to spread the batter into a thin circle about 4 inches in diameter. Make 3 more circles, spacing them 3 to 4 inches apart. Bake 7 to 9 minutes, until the edges are golden brown but the center is still pale.
Transfer cookies to a rack and let cool for 1 minute, until they can be loosened and lifted from the sheet without tearing. Wrap the cookies loosely around a clean pencil, small dowel or the handle of a wooden spoon until they harden. Allow to cool completely before adding filling.
Place the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove from heat and add the crème fraîche, stirring well. If using heavy cream, place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl, heat the cream to just under boiling and pour it over the chocolate. Allow the mixture to stand for 1 minute, then stir until smooth.
Let the filling cool slightly and place into a pastry bag or resealable plastic bag fitted with a large plain tip. Pipe the filling as far as possible into both ends of all the cookies, and then coat the rims of each cookie on the outside with the filling. Dip the ends of each cookie into a bowl of the chocolate sprinkles. As the filling cools, they will adhere firmly.
PER PIECE: 208 calories; 12 g fat; 8 g saturated fat; 20 mg cholesterol; 2 g protein; 26 g carbohydrate; 20 g sugar; 1 g fiber; 14 mg sodium; 13 mg calcium Cookie recipe from “The Art and Soul of Baking” by Cindy Mushet. Filling recipe from “The Art of French Baking” by Ginette Mathiot