3 c All-purpose flour

1/4 ts Salt

1/4 ts Baking powder

3/4 c Butter; softened

1 c Sugar

1 ts Vanilla extract

1 Egg

3 oz Unsweetened baking c

-hocolate -- melted and cool Mint cream filling 3 c Powdered sugar

2/3 c Butter; softened

1/2 ts Peppermint extract

3 tb Half and half; up to 5 t

Chocolate glaze 6 oz Semisweet chocolate;

-coarsely chopped 2 tb Vegetable oil

Recipe by: The Joy of Cookies, pp. 156-7 1. To prepare cookies: In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder

and salt; set aside. In mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add egg, then chocolate, beating well after each addition. Stir in flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time, blending well after each addition. Divide dough in half. Form each half into a log 9 inches long and about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap in plastic and freeze or refrigerate until firm, 1

to 4 hours. 2. Preheat oven to 350. Grease baking sheets. Cut chilled dough into

1/4

inch slices. Arrange, 1 inch apart on baking sheets. Use a cookie stamp to imprint the tops of half of the rounds. 3. Bake 8-11 minutes, or until cookies just begin to brown on the bottom.

Cool on racks. While cookies are baking, prepare the filling. In a small mixing bowl, combine powdered sugar , butter, mint extract and 2 1/2 T half&half. Beat at low speed until smooth, adding more half&half if necessary. Mixture should be thick and creamy smooth. 4. Spread a 1/8 to 1/4 inch layer of mint filling over the bottoms of the

plain cookie rounds. Top with imprinted rounds to create sandwiches; press down lightly. Refrigerate until filling is firm, about 20 minutes. 5. To prepare glaze. In a small saucepan, combine chocolate and oil.

Warm over low heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is smooth. Pour chocolate into a small deep bowl or 1-cup glass measure. Line a large baking sheet with waxed paper. Dip half of each cookie sandwich into melted chocolate, shaking off excess. Arrange sandwiches on waxed paper and refrigerate until chocolate is set. Store in an airtight container at room temperature 1 week; freeze for longer storage. -----