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1
Place oven racks near middle position.
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2
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
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3
Using electric mixer, cream together peanut butter and butter.
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4
Add 1 1/2 cups minus 1 tablespoon sugar and cream 20 seconds on medium speed.
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5
Scrape bowl and mix 30 seconds more.
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6
Add eggs, 1 at a time, and beat well after each addition.
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7
Beat in vanilla.
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8
Sift together flour, baking soda and salt.
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9
Add to peanut butter mixture all at once.
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10
Mix until blended.
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11
Stir in peanuts.
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12
Scoop dough onto ungreased baking sheets; there should be 9 cookies per sheet.
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13
You will need 3 sheets.
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14
On each cookie, press down lightly with large fork in 2 directions to make cross, flattening dough slightly.
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15
Sprinkle each with about 1/2 teaspoon sugar.
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16
Bake 7-9 minutes in preheated oven.
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17
Remove from oven and cool on baking sheets.
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18
Cookies will be very soft, but as they cool they will firm up somewhat, though they will still be soft.
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19
Remove cookies from sheets when cool and fill with ganache.
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20
Spread ganache evenly over bottom side of 12 cookies.
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21
Top with remaining 12 cookies.
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22
To make ganache:.
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23
Break 1 pound bittersweet chocolate into small pieces and process in food processor fitted with metal blade until finely ground.
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24
Heat 1 pint heavy whipping cream to boiling point on medium-high heat.
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25
With motor running, pour cream into feed tube of processor; process until chocolate is smooth and melted.
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26
Place in bowl and cool.
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27
Refrigerate only long enough to thicken to spreadable consistency, so it will form thick layer between 2 cookies.
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28
It can be reheated, if necessary, by placing bowl in warm water and stirring until smooth.
