Raspberry-Cream Sandwich Cookies

1 3/4 Cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter softened

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tsp sugar

1 large egg

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 vanilla bean halved lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved

1 cup fresh raspberries

7 1/2 ounces best quality white chocolate coarsely chopped

1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

2. Mix butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar with mixer on med-high speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add egg, extract and vanilla seeds; mix until smooth.

Reduce speed to low. Gradually mix in flour mixture.

3. Scoop batter using flat 1 inch ice cream scoop; space 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

4. Bake cookies 4 minutes. Remove from oven; gently tap baking sheets on counter to flatten cookies. Return to oven, switching positions of sheets; bake until cookies are just set, 4-6 minutes more. Let cool on parchment on wire racks.

5. Puree raspberries and remaining 2 tsp sugar in a food processor. Pour mixture through a fine sieve into a small bowl, pressing to extract juice; discard seeds. Set mixture aside.

6. Melt white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Remove from heat; whisk in cream in a slow stream. Slowly whisk in reserved raspberry mixture. Refrigerate up to 45 minutes.

7. Spread 1 heaping tsp raspberry cream on the undersides of half the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies.