For cookies:
2 c. plus 2 TB all-purpose flour
½ c. unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
¼ c. plain malted milk powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. coarse salt
1 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ¾ c. sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp. pure vanilla ext.
¼ c. crème fraiche
3 TB. Hot water
For the filling:
10 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 TB. Unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 c. plain malted milk powder
3 oz. cream cheese, room temp.
¼ c. plus 2TB. Half-and-half
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 350. Make cookies: sift together flour, cocoa, milk, soda, and salt. With an electric mixer beat butter and sugar at med-high speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg, vanilla, crème, and hot water. Reduce speed to low and mix in flour mixture.
2. Space TB sized balls of dough 3 ½ in. apart on parchment pans. Bake until flat and just firm. 10-12 min. Let cool on parchment on wire racks.
3. Make filling: melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring. Let cool. With a mixer, beat powder and cheese on med speed until smooth. Gradually mix in half and half, chocolate mix, and vanilla. Refrigerate covered until thick, 30 min. mix on high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4. Assemble cookies: spread a heaping tablespoon filling on the bottom of one cookie. Sandwich with another cookie. Repeat. Cookies can be refrigerated between layers of parchment, airtight, for 3 days.