Raspberry Cream Sandwiches

You know how people say they have the most vivid dreams when they are pregnant? Well, I dream like that ALL the time. My husband says I should write a book, but no one would believe it. So last night, I told him I was sad because for the first time, I hadn't made my Dorie treat. He asked why not and I said, "Well, ice cream isn't something I can just hand off to the neighbors, we didn't have a good occasion, you don't eat chocolate or dairy really, and I love both of those things- and I just can't make myself an enormous torte!" He assured me my reasons were good but told me he was sorry I would miss the fun of Tuesday morning emails and blogging! So having talked about Dorie, you can imagine my dreams last night. Dorie stopped by to say hello (like she might on your blog, but she did at my real life fabulous house in Paris... yep, a dream) and she wanted to bake with me! I asked her questions, she signed my book, we took some pictures together, and she even played with my son a little bit, laughing about baking with a toddler underfoot. I was sad to see her go and felt like I was saying good bye to my best friend, but even sadder to wake and realize it was just a dream (especially that house in Paris!) So today, instead of a beautiful ice cream torte, I bring you Raspberry Sandwich Cookies, not from Baking (I know, I know) but definitely something to enjoy making in your kitchen with a friend. Whether that friend is Dorie, your toddler, or even your girlfriend, these are a great cookie to make and share- homey, beautiful, and flavorful.

So this leads me to my cookies. I made them last week to celebrate the birth of my friend Sasha's second little girl. I saw the picture and the beautiful raspberry cream that just screamed GIRL! I'd actually made these cookies about three years ago when I used to subscribe to Martha Stewart. However, I didn't use a vanilla bean or very high quality chocolate (student budget!). Needless to say, they came out just right this time with the addition of those ingredients, even without Dorie's help.

Tips:
~Be sure to use a vanilla bean for really great flavor- try buying online to get a great price and product
~Don't scrimp on chocolate since it really makes the filling
~After assembling the filling, keep whisking for a few minutes while it lightens up
~Use an ice cream scoop to form the cookies and smoosh them a little with your hand or a flat spatula before baking- a thinner cookie will sandwich better
~Store these cookies in the refridgerator to keep the filling set
~Try other flavor combos- strawberry, mint, or even mango would taste great (but not altogether!)

Raspberry Cream Sandwiches
From Martha Stewart's Cookies, page 93

Makes 3 dozen.

* 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
* 1 1/2 cups plus 2 teaspoons sugar
* 1 large egg
* 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
* 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved
* 6 ounces (1 cup) fresh raspberries
* 7 1/2 ounces best-quality white chocolate, coarsely chopped
* 1/3 cup heavy cream (add 1 t. Meringue Powder)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2. Mix butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add egg, extract, and vanilla seeds; mix until smooth. Reduce speed to low. Gradually mix in flour mixture.
3. Scoop batter using a 1-inch ice cream scoop; space 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
4. Bake cookies 4 minutes. Remove from oven; gently tap baking sheets on counter to flatten cookies. Return to oven, switching positions of sheets; bake until cookies are just set, 4 to 6 minutes more. Let cool on parchment on wire racks.
5. Puree raspberries and remaining 2 teaspoons sugar in a food processor. Pour mixture through a fine sieve into a small bowl, pressing to extract juice; discard seeds. Set mixture aside.
6. Melt white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Remove from heat; whisk in cream in a slow stream. Whisk in reserved raspberry mixture. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
7. Spread 1 heaping teaspoon raspberry cream on the undersides of half the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies. Cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container up to 2 days.