Secrets

Recently I opened up my very own etsy shop! I'm really excited about it, but a little nervous. I've never run a business before! I decided to do this because I bought from a girl a couple of months ago, who makes the cutest plate. We actually sort of became friends. She is a stay-at-home mom of 2 girls (and her oldest is Ella, if you can believe it) and she had always dreamed of opening up a studio for her ceramics, a coffee shop, or a flower shop. Other than the ceramics, I was exactly the same way in high school! Well, I loved the atmosphere of a coffee shop, though I probably would have made it a hot chocolate shop or something like that;) Anyway, she was telling me how great it is for her to be able to have a creative outlet during nap time. So finally the other night I decided to try it out myself. So I started inventing new recipes, and posting old successes. This is one recipe that I am IN LOVE WITH! I wasn't going to share it on the blog because why would anyone buy it if they can make it themselves, right? But then I thought, why withhold this information from my beloved friends and family? I don't want you all to pay me for cookies! And I figured, nobody is going to take the time to shell, roast, peel, and grind their own hazelnuts. So I'm pretty much safe. But if you want to, please by all means go ahead. It is SO worth it!

Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache Cookies
Makes about 12~13 sandwiches
For the Cookie:
2/3 C toasted ground hazelnuts*
1/3 C cocoa powder
1-3/4 C all-purpose flour
3/4 C (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 t koser salt
2/3 C sugar
1 t pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 325°.
2. Cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla, cocoa, and hazelnuts and combine. Add salt and flour in small increments until fully combined.
3. Scoop by the rounded tablespoon and flatten to about 1 inch in diameter. Bake at 325° for 10 minutes. Let cool completely.

for the ganache filling:
2 oz chopped (60% or more) dark baking chocolate
1 T nutella

1. In the top of a double boiler, melt the nutella and dark chocolate until melted. Make sure the water underneath isn't boiling, just simmering.
2. Place about 1 t of chocolate on the bottom of a completely cooled cookie, and place another one on top (so that only the tops f 2 cokies show). Let cool completely.

*Buy shell-on hazelnuts (or if you can find shelled ones, use those!), crack them open and roast them in a 350° oven for 7 or so minutes. Until the centers are light brown and very fragrant. Let them cool and rub the skins off with your fingers. It won't all come off, so don't be discouraged. Place in a food processor and pulse until coarse and let it run until very fine.