Romany Creams

Ingredients

Cookie

• 1/2 lb butter, plus
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
• 2 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, melted
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

butter cream filling

• 1 lb confectioners' Sugar, divided
• 1/4 lb butter, softened (not melted!)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3-4 tablespoons milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. cream together butter and Sugar; add flour, coconut, and baking powder.
3. Dissolve melted baking chocolate by whisking into boiling water; add to mixture.
4. Roll mixture into small 1-inch balls.
5. Place balls on greased cookie sheet and, using a fork, press criss-cross to flatten.
6. Bake in a moderate oven, 350F, for 10 to 12 minutes until desired doneness (some people like them crispier than others); let cool on a wire rack.
7. Make the butter cream filling: cream one-third of the confectioners' Sugar with softened butter and salt in large bowl.
8. Blend vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons milk and remaining Sugar into mixture.
9. Gradually stir in remaining milk to filling until desired spreading consistency is reached.
10. When cookies have cooled completely, sandwich them together with the butter cream filling (or chocolate from melting a slab of milk chocolate over low heat or in microwave).