Sand Cookies - Tulip Recipes

These Sand Cookies feature a wonderfully delicate, melt-in-your-mouth cocoa pastry. But the real magic happens inside: a silky ring of hazelnut buttercream holding in a luscious pool of soft chocolate caramel. It’s the ultimate crumbly, gooey, decadent bite! 

Sugar Dough

Ingredients:

• 100g Unsalted Butter, softened
• 50g Icing Sugar, sifted
• 25g Egg, lightly beaten (whisk 1 large egg, then weigh 25g)
• 5g Vanilla Extract
• 150g All-Purpose Flour
• 8g Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, beat the softened butter and icing sugar with a paddle attachment until smooth and pale.
2. Add the egg and vanilla. Mix on low speed until just combined.
3. Sift the flour and cocoa powder together into the bowl. Mix on low speed until the dough just comes together. Do not overmix.
4. Form the dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This step is essential.
5. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
6. Roll the chilled dough between two sheets of parchment paper to a 3 mm thickness. Cut out cookies and place them on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat or parchment.
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the surfaces look matte and dry.
8. Once baked, cool it down completely.

Soft Chocolate Caramel Filling

Ingredients:

• 25g Glucose (1)
• 35g Granulated Sugar
• 150g Heavy Cream (35% fat)
• 0.5g Vanilla Extract
• 2g Salt
• 40g Milk Chocolate Compound, finely chopped
• 80g Glucose (2)

Instructions:

1. In a small saucepan, gently heat the cream, vanilla, and salt until steaming. Keep it warm. Place the chopped chocolate in a separate heatproof bowl.
2. In a larger, heavy-bottomed saucepan, cook the Glucose (1) and granulated sugar over medium heat. Do not stir; swirl the pan occasionally until it melts and turns a medium amber color.
3. Immediately remove the caramel from the heat. Carefully and slowly pour the hot cream mixture into the caramel while whisking constantly. Be careful, it will bubble up violently.
4. Return the pan to medium-low heat. Cook, stirring, until a candy thermometer reads exactly
5. Let the caramel cool in the pan at room temperature.
6. Pour it over the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for one minute, then stir from the center outwards until smooth.
7. Stir in the Glucose (2) until fully combined. Let the caramel cool to room temperature to thicken before use.

Hazelnut Buttercream

Ingredients:

• 200g Hazelnut Paste (e.g., Tulip Hazel Delight)
• 100g Unsalted Butter, softened

Instructions:

1. Using a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter on medium-high speed for 3-5 minutes until it is very pale and creamy.
2. Add the hazelnut paste and mix on low speed until just combined.
3. Switch to a whisk attachment. Whip on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until the buttercream is light and airy.

Assembly

1. Place the hazelnut buttercream and chocolate caramel into separate piping bags.
2. On the flat side of one cookie, pipe a ring of hazelnut buttercream around the outer edge.
3. Fill the center of the ring with the chocolate caramel.
4. Place a second cookie on top and press gently to sandwich.