COOKIES WITH FILLING RECIPES

Steps:

• Set 2 racks in the middle and upper third of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees. In a food processor or the bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar. While pulsing or on low speed, add the butter, then the egg. Process or beat until the dough is thoroughly blended and massed together. Drop rounded teaspoons of batter onto nonstick or parchment-lined cookie sheets at 2-inch intervals. With moistened fingers, round out the cookies and flatten them a little. Bake for 9 minutes, turning the pans once for even baking, until the cookies are set. Set the cookie sheets on a rack to cool. 
• Vanilla-Cream Filling: Put the butter and shortening in a mixing bowl and, at low speed, gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla, until blended. Turn the mixer up to high and beat for 2 or 3 minutes more, until fluffy. 
• With a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch tip, pipe teaspoon size blobs of filling onto the tops of half the cookies. Keeping the smooth bottoms of the cookies facing up, flip the remaining cookies on top of the filling and lightly press to form sandwiches.

Steps:

• Combine sugar and butter in bowl. Beat on medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add egg, mascarpone cheese and almond extract; continue beating until well mixed. Add flour, baking powder and salt; beat at low speed until well mixed.
• Divide dough in half. Shape each into disk; flatten slightly. Wrap each half in plastic food wrap. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm.
• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Roll out dough on lightly floured surface, one-half at a time (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut with 1 3/4-inch cookie cutter. Place, 1 inch apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake 6-7 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Transfer to cooling rack. Cool completely.
• Place whipping cream into 1-quart saucepan. Cook over low heat until bubbles form around outside edge. Remove from heat; stir in chocolate until smooth. Pour into small bowl; place small bowl into larger bowl of ice water. Stir occasionally 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove bowl from ice water.
• Spoon about 1 teaspoon filling onto bottom side of half of cookies. Top with remaining cookies. Let stand until filling is set.