Recipe: Maple Leaf Sandwich Cookies

Two maple leaf shortbread cookies sandwiching a layer of maple cream — what could be more Canadian than that?

Maple leaf sandwich cookies were the technical challenge for Canada Week on The Great Canadian Baking Show.

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 224 g butter, softened
• 230 g icing sugar
• 450 g flour
• ½ tsp maple extract

For the filling:

• 1 ⅓ cups maple butter
• 1 ¼ cup icing sugar
• ⅓ cup unsalted butter, softened

For the topping:

• Sugar in the Raw

Preparation

Cookies:

Preheat oven to 325°F. 

In stand mixer with paddle attachment cream together butter, icing sugar and maple extract until fluffy about 5 minutes; stir in flour just until combined.

Divide dough in half; shape into very flat discs. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm but not hard, about 15 minutes.

Working with one disc at a time, roll out dough between parchment paper to 1/8-inch  thickness.

Using 2-inch/5 cm maple leaf–shaped cookie cutter, cut out shapes. Recover with parchment and place in freezer while rolling and cutting out other disc.

Working quickly, pull chilled cookies from parchment paper and place on parchment paper-lined rimless cookie sheet.

Using the back of a paring knife, create vein texture in the leaves. Place in freezer to chill for 5 minutes while doing the same to remaining cookies.

Bake, two sheets at a time, in 325F until done and lightly browned at edges.

Let cool on pans for 1 minute; transfer directly to racks to cool completely.

Maple filling:

In a bowl, beat all ingredients together until firm, but spreadable.

Assembly:

Generously pipe maple filling on half the cookies, then place remaining cookies on top.