Luxe Oreos

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C and line two baking trays with baking paper.
2. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a bowl and set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl for 3 minutes or until light and creamy. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until the dough just comes together. Shape into two discs, then wrap one in plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
3. Roll out the remaining dough between two sheets of baking paper until 3 mm thick. Using a 7 cm round cookie cutter, cut out rounds, rerolling the trimmings, and place on the prepared trays, 3 cm apart. Using a 6 cm fluted cookie cutter, make an indent in the centre of the cookies to decorate, if desired.
4. Bake, swapping the trays halfway through, for 15 minutes or until the cookies are just cooked (it’s difficult to tell from the dark colour, but there may be small cracks on top). Remove from the oven and cool completely on the trays. Repeat with the remaining dough to make 40 cookies all up.
5. Meanwhile, to make the mascarpone vanilla cream, place all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
6. Take 20 of the cookies and spread 1½ tablespoons of the mascarpone cream over the flat side of each cookie, then sandwich with the remaining cookies. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or until the mascarpone cream is firm. Serve chilled or at room temperature. The cookies will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.