Main Grain Bakery Chocolate Salted Cookie

Makes 10 Cookies:

1 1⁄2 cups (3 sticks) butter, room temperature

1 1⁄2 cups turbinado sugar 1⁄2 cup granulated cane sugar

1 teaspoon fleur de sel salt (see note)

4 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 1⁄2 cups flour

2⁄3 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

8 ounces dark chocolate chips

Chocolate salted caramel buttercream filling:

1 pound dark chocolate chips (or chopped bar chocolate)

1 1 ⁄ cups heavy whipping cream 2 1 teaspoon fleur de sel 1 cup granulated cane sugar 1⁄4 cup water

2 cups (4 sticks) butter, room temperature

For cookies: Using medium-high speed with the paddle attachment, cream softened butter in a stand mixer. Add sugars. Cream until light and fluffy. Add salt, then vanilla. Scrape side of bowl and mix again for 10 seconds.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder and baking soda. Add dry ingredients to your wet ingredients. Mix on medium-low until well combined. Fold in the chocolate pieces.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a 2 1⁄4-inch cookie scoop (or divide batter into 20 even portions about the size of a golf ball) set on the parchment. Press down to flatten the cookies.

Bake in preheated oven 15 to 20 minutes or until small cracks appear in tops of cookies.

Meanwhile, make buttercream filling: Place chocolate pieces into a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment.

Over medium heat, bring heavy cream and fleur de sel just to a boil in a small saucepan. Set aside, but keep hot.

In another saucepan, over medium heat, combine sugar and water until it boils and reaches 340 degrees using a candy thermometer.

Remove from heat. Slowly and carefully pour reserved hot cream into hot caramel pan, whisking constantly. We recommend wearing an oven mitt on the hand you are whisking with. Once the cream touches the caramel, it bubbles vigorously and creates hot steam. Whisk until cream and caramel are well combined and smooth.

Pour caramel mixture over chocolate pieces in mixer bowl. Whisk on medium-high speed until the underneath side of the bowl is cool and mixture reaches room temperature, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Once bowl is cool, add butter 1 tablespoon at a time, while mixer is still running. Once all the butter is added, turn mixer speed up to medium-high and whisk until buttercream is light and fluffy.

To assemble: Wait to assemble cookies until they are baked and cooled.

Flip 10 cookies upside down on your sheet pan. Using a piping bag fitted with the tip of your choice, pipe a generous circle of chocolate buttercream in center of the turned cookies. Set remaining cookies on top to form sandwich cookies. Cookies are best served at room temperature; however, they can be refrigerated.

Notes: Fleur de sel is a variety of salt that is a bit sweeter; it’s available at The Spice House.

Any leftover filling can be refrigerated and used to make additional cookies or could be used to make other desserts. Re-whip the buttercream before using.