Fleur de Sel Shortbread with Halvah Buttercream
 
 
Salty and sweet fleur de sel shortbread cookie sandwiches filled with a nutty halvah buttercream.
Yield: 24 sandwich cookies
Ingredients
For the shortbread
  • 1½ cups + 2 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1¼ cups powdered sugar
  • 2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp sea salt flakes
For the frosting
  • 8 oz plain or vanilla halvah, cubed
  • 2 oz white chocolate, melted
  • 1¼ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
Instructions
For the shortbread
  1. Combine the butter and powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium and beat for 3-4 minutes, or until fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl then add in the yolks, one at a time, and the vanilla, approximately 5 seconds for each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again. Mix on medium speed for 20-30 seconds until just combined.
  2. Add the flour and salt to the bowl and mix on low speed until the dough just starts to come together, about 30 seconds. With a dough scraper, bring the dough together by hand. Divide the dough in half, placing each on a sheet of plastic wrap. Pat each into a rectangle, wrap tightly, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or overnight.
  3. Once ready to bake, let the dough sit at room temperature until slightly warmed up but still cool to the touch, about 15-20 minutes.
  4. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a work surface and dust lightly with flour. Put one dough half on top and then top with a second piece of parchment paper. Roll the dough into a half rectangle that is about 11x13-inches and ¼-inch thick. Peel off the top layer of parchment paper. and place the rolled out dough onto a sheet pan. Repeat with the second half of the dough, then place both in the refrigerate and chill until firm, at least 30 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, heat oven to 350F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Allow the dough to sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Pierce it with a fork all over. Cut out the cookies with whatever cookie cutter you desire and remove to the parchment-lined baking sheet. Reroll the trimmings and cut out more cookies.
  6. Bake one pan at a time for 10 minutes, then rotate and bake until the cookies feel firm, about 3-5 more minutes. Allow to cool completely on the sheet pans.
For the frosting
  1. Place the halvah in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Drizzle in the melted white chocolate and again blend until smooth and incorporated.
  2. Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment along with the sugar. Beat on medium until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add in the vanilla and salt and mix again until incorporated, about 1 minute. Add in the halvah paste and mix until smooth.
  3. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a star tip with the frosting. Pair up the cookies so that they are similarly sized. Pipe swirls or rows of dots onto half of the cookies, then top with their sister cookie, pressing lightly to adhere.
Notes
Recipe from Cookie Love
Recipe by Joanne Eats Well With Others at https://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/2018/12/fleur-de-sel-shortbread-with-halvah-buttercream.html