Recipe: Chocolate gingersnap cookies with chocolate ganache

This is a traditional holiday ginger cookie with some cocoa added to satisfy chocolate lovers, and a chocolate ganache filling to turn things up a notch. Note that the type of chocolate used for the filling is crucial.

Makes 22 to 24 large sandwich cookies

Cookies

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 ½ cups sugar

1 large egg

1/4 cup molasses

1 ½ tablespoons freshly grated ginger

4 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Ganache filling

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, Ghirardelli 60% cacao preferred (see Note)

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon heavy cream

For the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line baking sheets with parchment.

Combine the butter and sugar in a large bowl, and cream together by hand or with an electric or stand mixer. Add the egg and mix until combined. Stir in the molasses and the grated ginger.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the ground ginger, baking soda, salt, flour and cocoa powder. Add to the butter mixture and stir until smooth. If the dough is soft and difficult to work with, refrigerate briefly until it firms up a bit, then continue with recipe.

Scoop the dough out by 1 tablespoon measures and roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets and bake until evenly brown, about 13 minutes. Let cool.

For the ganache: Finely chop the chocolate and put it in a bowl.

Bring the cream to a simmer in a small pot over medium heat; pour over the chocolate and stir with a spatula until smooth. Let cool, stirring every five to 10 minutes so it firms up evenly and without lumps.

Spread about 2 teaspoons of the ganache on the flat side of half of the cookies, then place a second cookie on top.

Note: You can use most brands of 52% to 62% cacao chocolate, except Scharffen Berger, which is too dry in style for this ganache.

Per cookie: 239 calories, 2 g protein, 31 g carbohydrate, 13 g fat (8 g saturated), 37 mg cholesterol, 137 mg sodium, 1 g fiber.

By Emily Luchetti The San Francisco Chronicle

By Emily Luchetti
The San Francisco Chronicle