Browned Butter Toffee Cookies

To make the browned butter, take 1/2 cup of unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, and place in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook 5 to 7 minutes until browned, swirling frequently. Watch the butter closely and stir or swirl frequently so that it doesn't burn. It will bubble and sputter quite a bit soon after it melts. Then, as the water evaporates, it will become foamy and simmer quietly. This is when you know it's almost ready. Allow to simmer for about a minute, then remove from heat, pour into mixing bowl, and let cool about 10 minutes.

To the browned butter, stir in: Dark brown sugar
Granulated sugar
Egg
Vanilla extract

Whisk the mixture together, then add and beat to incorporate:
Flour
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
Salt

When the mixture is well blended, stir in the Toffee bits

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill until firm. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough out on a lightly floured counter to 1/4 inch thickness and cut, then transfer cookies onto cookie sheets that have been lined with parchment paper or silicone liners. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned around the edges. Let cookies cool slightly on cookie sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Trim edges if necessary (some toffee bits may melt and spread, creating uneven edges) and decorate, if desired, before serving.

To Decorate: When both ganache mixtures (recipes below) are slightly cooled and thickened, but still pourable, spoon some dark chocolate ganache onto a cookie and spread evenly to edges. Pipe white chocolate ganache onto chocolate ganache in small dots or wavy lines, then drag the tip of a paring knife through the white chocolate to create a marbleized effect. Let the chocolate cool and firm up, then pipe small dots of white chocolate ganache around the edges of the cookie.

Note: If at any time you need to warm the ganache to the right consistency, you can heat it in the microwave, but be careful; just a few seconds will do the trick.

Dark Chocolate Ganache: Heat 1 cup heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat (or in a bowl in the microwave) until scalded and bubbling. Remove from heat and add 12 ounces finely chopped bittersweet or milk chocolate (about 1 1/2 cups). Let sit for a couple of minutes, and then stir until smooth.

White Chocolate Ganache: Heat 1/2 cup heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat (or in a bowl in the microwave) until scalded and bubbling. Remove from heat and add 6 ounces finely chopped white chocolate (about 1 cup). Let sit for a couple of minutes, then stir until smooth.

Enjoy!