Fudge Topped Peanut Butter Cookie Tarts

Servings 2 -2 1/2 dozen (approx.) cookies using a 3" cookie cutter

Ingredients

For the cookies:

1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
1 egg at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the ganache:

3 Tablespoons corn syrup
6 ounces heavy cream
12 ounces dark chocolate chopped into small pieces
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the toppings:

chopped peanuts
toffee chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large bowl, cream butter and peanut butter until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
With mixer on low, add in sugar, eggs and vanilla until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Add flour mixture to peanut butter mixture and stir until combined. (I used the lowest setting of my stand mixer for this, but it can be done by hand)
Place plastic wrap directly on top of the dough in the bowl to keep it from drying out and chill for 2 hours.
Roll dough out on a floured surface and cut into desired shapes, flouring your cookie cutter between cuts.
Place cut out cookies onto a greased cookie sheet or on a sheet lined with a silpat or parchment.
Bake about 8-10 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned and set. Time will vary widely based on your oven and the size of your cookies.
Cool on cookie sheets for a few minutes until set, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Make the ganache. In a small saucepan, combine the corn syrup and heavy cream.
Bring to a simmer and add the chocolate. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat and add the vanilla.
Spread about 2 teaspoons of ganache evenly over each cookie. I didn't measure, I just used a spoon to dollop the ganache on each cookie. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts, toffee chips or a mixture of both.
Refrigerate cookies in a single layer on a tray to fully set the ganache. Once they're firm, you can stack them up and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
You can serve cold, or allow them to sit a room temperature for 30 minutes.The ganache will soften and get its shine back.

Recipe Notes

*I always store anything with ganache on it in the refrigerator. These cookies will last for at least a week in the refrigerator stored in an airtight container. They get softer with time and can be eaten directly from the refrigerator or you can leave them out for 30 minutes to come to room temperature before eating. They'll also be fine sitting out for a couple of hours on a dessert table. Just be careful how you stack them since the ganache will soften as it warms up.

*If you use salted butter, reduce salt to 1/4 tsp.

*You can use the ganache as soon as you make it. I used it within about 10 minutes of making it. It will get thicker as it sits, so you want to use it while it's still easy to spread. Stir as necessary while topping the cookies to loosen it up and bring back that glossy shine.

*If you like a sweeter cookie, use half dark and half milk chocolate in the ganache or use all milk.

*I gave you a full recipe of ganache which should be plenty to frost these. If you have any left over, you can store it in the refrigerator until it is firm then roll into balls for truffles, coating with cocoa powder, powdered sugar, nuts, candies, coconut, etc. If you want to reheat it so that you can pour it over something, do it gently. I would microwave it, stopping at 15 second intervals to stir until it's glossy and spreadable. You could also do this over a double boiler.

*This recipe is a half portion of the Peanut Butter Cut Out Cookies. If you want to double it, just go to that recipe for cookie dough measurements.

Ganache recipe from Alton Brown