Chai Tea Sandwich Cookies

Directions

• For ganache, in a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil; remove from heat. Add tea bags; let stand 10 minutes. Discard tea bags.
• Place chocolate in a small bowl. Reheat the cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; let stand 5 minutes. Stir with a whisk until smooth. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, until ganache thickens to a spreading consistency, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, salt and pepper; cut in butter with vanilla until crumbly. Knead until dough holds together when pressed. Shape into 2 disks; wrap each and refrigerate until firm enough to roll, about 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, gently roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness, lifting and rotating dough as needed. Cut with a 1-1/2-in. round cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until light brown, 10-12 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
• Spread or pipe 1 heaping teaspoon ganache on bottoms of half of the cookies; cover with remaining cookies. Let stand until set.
• Freeze option: Prepare dough. Transfer wrapped disks to a freezer container; seal and freeze. To use, thaw dough in refrigerator until soft enough to roll. Make ganache. Prepare, bake and fill cookies as directed.