Cocoa Crunch Meringue Cookies

Sometimes I think that I like Dorie Greenspan's cookies the best.  At least I think that until I make a lovely tart, or cake, or scones, or muffins.  This week, the Tuesdays with Dorie bakers chose between the Jammer Galette and Cocoa Crunch Meringue Cookies.  I just finished baking the cookies and my husband, the always-willing taste tester, says:  "I REALLY like these cookies!"

They are lovely gems--two cocoa, crunchy meringues sandwiching a delightful chocolate ganache.  The recipe only makes 8 sandwiches, which is just as well because we would have eaten as many as there were available.

Whipping up the meringue

Cocoa mixture and chopped almonds, ready to add

The circles I drew to serve as a guide for the cookies.

The ganache, coming to room temperature to be spread on the cookies.

The meringues out of the oven (minus two "rejects" which were eaten before they could be spread with ganache.)

The finished sandwiches!

Jammer Galette

I really liked this recipe!  And if you plan ahead, it is super simple.  Basically, it's a big shortbread cookie topped with preserves and heavily covered with a lovely streusel.  You can make the crust and streusel ahead of time and how hard is it to open a jar of preserves?!  I actually made it twice in the past couple of weeks--once with raspberry preserves and the second time with 4-berry preserves.  Sorry I didn't get a photo of it on the serving plate, but I shared each of the galettes at events with friends and before I knew it, it was all gone!  I'm sure I'll be baking this again.

To see how other Tuesday with Dorie bakers fared this month, be sure to check here.