Chocolate Cardamom Buttons

This cookie is a mix of my love for Indian desserts that have a hint of cardamom and my other love for chocolate.

Yield: 50 -2 inch cookies

•  7 oz./200 g. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 5.3 oz/150 g. butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 whole eggs
• 5 oz./140 g. molasses
• 20 g white vinegar
• 3 c. + 1 tablespoon bread flour
• ¾ c. cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
• Additional raw/ turbinado sugar, for dredging
• 7 oz/200 g. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 7 oz/200 g. heavy cream

1.  Melt the chocolate in a bowl placed over a pot of simmering water. When fully melted, remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
2. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
4. Slowly, pour in the molasses, vinegar and melted chocolate.
5. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and spices in a separate bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the butter minute and mix until combined.
6. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill until firm.
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
8. Scoop the chilled dough into roughly 50-2 teaspoon portions. Roll dough into rounds.
9. Dredge each piece of dough in raw/turbinado sugar and place onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet about 2-inches apart. Press down on each cookie to slightly flatten them (using the bottom of a glass) and create a small, round indent in the center of each cookie with a finger.
10. Bake cookies in the preheated oven until sugar crust cracks on surface and cookies are firm in the middle, about 8-10 minutes.
11. Remove cookies from oven and let cool on the sheet pan.
12. For the ganache: in a small saucepan, bring the cream to a heavy boil. Place the chocolate in a bowl and pour the cream over the chocolate. Let sit for 5 minutes and then gently whisk until combined. Let sit at room temperature until needed.
13. Once the cookies are cooled, place room temperature ganache in a piping bag fitted with a #2 plain tip and pipe small button of ganache in the center of each cookie.

This blog post was originally published by the International Culinary Center (ICC), founded as The French Culinary Institute (FCI). In 2020, ICE and ICC came together on one strong and dynamic national platform at ICE's campuses in New York City and Los Angeles. Explore your pastry education where the legacy lives on.