Lady's Kisses (Baci di Dama)

How much happiness can be condensed in one light and airy hazelnut cookie?
Source
Slightly adapted from Forgiving Martha blog

Taste 5 (out of 5)

Difficulty 2 (out of 5)

Ingredients
- 3/4 cup hazelnuts, finely ground (toasted, optional) (630 cal)
- 1 cup flour (455 cal)
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 110 g/ 8 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature (790 cal)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (10 cal)
- 1/4 cup sugar (190 cal)
- 1 large egg yolk (55 cal)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 30 g bittersweet chocolate (180 cal)
- 1 tbsp butter (100 cal)
Total: 11 (double) cookies, 2410 cal, 220 cal / cookie

Instructions
1. Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. This will take 2-3 minutes. Once smooth, add the egg yolk and vanilla, and continue beating with electric mixer for 2 more minutes.
2. Add hazelnuts. Mix until well incorporated.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
4. Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture and combine until dough forms.
5. Using a small cookie scoop (the size of 1 tbsp) scoop out uniform mounds of dough onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Do not press the cookies, let them be airy.
6. Place in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes – the cookie should be still quite soft when taken out from the oven.
7. Remove from baking sheet and place on wire rack to cool.
8. Melt chocolate, mix in one tablespoon of butter. Carefully dip the bottom of one cookie in the chocolate and sandwich with another cookie. Return to the wire rack to continue cooling.

Afterthoughts
- Ever since several months ago I laid my eyes on these perfect Baci di Dama cookies at Soma chocolate factory in Toronto, I’ve been in love. I had tried to recreate these perfect, light, crunchy clouds of hazelnuts several times, and all these trials were good, but not as good as the real thing. I am still looking, but this recipe is very-very good, the best so far. 
- Thanks to Jess from Forgiving Martha for the recipe, and for many more great recipes on her blog that I simply have to try :-)