Mimicking Milano

What a beeeeauuuuutiful cookie!  Kudos to Pepperidge Farm for Milano cookies in all their versions.  The oblong shape, the golden edges, and the chocolate center peeping around the perimeter guarantee visual appeal.  I don't buy packaged cookies anymore, but my memories of eating these European-style cookies lock on nothin' but happiness.

Notes:

1.  Though it looks like the process is long and involved, it's mostly just long.  So, you might want to make the cookies one day and put them together later in the day or even the next day.  Or, you could just dip one end of each cookie into melted chocolate and sprinkle with jimmies or nuts.  Or, as below, you could just savor the cookies without an embellishment at all.  I used a pastry bag and a ridged tip for the cookies below... and no garnish...still fabulous :)

2.  When I make these again, I would like to swap out some of the all-purpose flour for cornmeal to add a bit more delicate crunch.  Meanwhile, I have quite a few in the freezer calling my name.
3.  Yes, they freeze well!
4.  The recipe below is the original Food52 recipe halved.

Mimicking Milano
adapted from Food52
Yield: 50 two-inch cookies (25 sandwiches) and about 18 thin piped ribbons (pictured directly above)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened (if using salted butter, feel free to omit the kosher salt)
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
Zest from one orange

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 325º F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat mats.
2.  Place the butter and sugar into bowl of an electric mixer.  Cream together.  Add egg and vanilla and continue to beat on high until light and fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.
3.  Lower speed and gradually add flour and salt (if using), mixing until incorporated.
4.  Transfer batter into a ziploc bag with a 1/2-inch hole snipped in one corner.  Alternately, you can snip off the end of a pastry bag (I use disposable bags), put in a coupler, and add the batter.  Twist the top to close and use a rubber band to secure.

5.  Pipe the batter onto the silpat mats into 2-inch long strips.  The cookies can be close as they do not spread much.

6.  Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the cookie edges are beginning to turn golden brown.  Remove and allow to completely cool on racks.

7.  Melt chocolate in a double boiler or microwave gently (I reduced power level to 50%).  Use
30-second intervals, stirring after each.  I stopped microwaving even when there were small bits that hadn't yet melted.  As the chocolate cools to the consistency needed, they will blend.

8.  Match up cookie pairs of the same size.  Have the melted chocolate and zest nearby.

A wet paper towel helped to keep fingers clean so no smudges went on the cookies

9.  Place a bit of melted chocolate on one cookie's flat side.  Sprinkle a bit of zest on top of the chocolate.  Then sandwich another cookie on top, pressing gently until the chocolate reaches the edges.

10.  Nothing but goodness!  Let me know what you think!