Just in time for Valentine’s Day, this variation of an oreo cookie was in the February Food & Wine magazine.  I just made it a little different by using heart shaped molds.  FYI - I had a difficult time using the mold on the caramel so I ended up just spreading some on the cookies with a knife.

They recomend serving these delicious bites with a rich, caramelly 10-year-old tawny port such as Quinta do Noval - a great way to end a meal.

Chocolate-Caramel Sandwich Cookies

Cookie Dough

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups plus 2 Tbls. flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
pinch of salt

Caramel Filling

2 1/4 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
1/ cup honey
1 Tbls. light corn syrup
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
4 Tbls. unsalted butter, softened

Chocolate Glaze

12 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 Tbls. unsalted butter

Make the cookie dough:  Beat the butter and sugar in a bowl at medium speed until fluffy.  Beat in the egg.  Sift the flour, cocoa and salt into the bowl and beat at low speed until the dough comes together, about 2 minutes.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 2 or 3 times.  Flatten into 2 disks, wrap in plastic and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper, or wax paper or silpats.  Roll out each disk of dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to a scant 1/4-inch thickness.  Using a 1 3/4-inch round cookie cutter, stamp out as many cookies as possible.  Bake the cookies for about 20 minutes, until puffed and set.  Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets.

Meanwhile, make the caramel:  Oil the bottom and sides of a 9 inch square cake pan and line the bottom with a sheet of wax paper, long enough to reach 2 inches up 2 sides of the pan.  In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar, cream, honey, corn syrup and vanilla seeds and bring to a boil.  Stir occasionally until the temperature on a candy thermometer reaches 250 degrees.  Remove from the heat.  Remove the thermometer and stir in the buttter.  Pour the caramel into the prepared pan and let cook for 45 minutes.

Lift the caramel out of the pan and transfer to a cutting board.  Using a 1 1/4 inch round cookie cutter, stamp out rounds of caramel and sandwich them between the cookies, pressing gently to flatten slightly.  Wrap any remaining caramel bits individually in wax paper and save for another use.

Make the glaze:  Melt the chocolate with the butter in a double boiler.  Line a baking sheet with wax paper.  Dip the cookies halfway into the chocolate glaze, allowing any excess to drip back into the pot.  Set the cookies on the wax paper and refrigerate for about 20 minutes, until just set.