GINGERSNAPS WITH ORANGE-GINGER CREAM FILLING

Steps:

• TO MAKE THE COOKIES:.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Add molasses, egg, and vanilla, and beat at medium-high until incorporated, about 30 seconds.
• Reduce speed to low; add flour mixture and mix until well combined.
• Cover and chill at least 30 minutes or up to 1 day.
• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Place remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a shallow bowl.
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar to coat.
• Arrange about 2 inches apart on 2 ungreased baking sheets.
• Using the bottom of a glass that has been lightly greased, then dipped in sugar, flatten dough into 1/4-inch-thick disks.
• Bake 13 to 15 minutes, or until firm.
• Remove from oven and immediately transfer cookies to a cooling rack.
• TO MAKE THE FILLING:.
• In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients; mix until smooth, adding more powdered sugar as needed (filling should have consistency of very thick frosting).
• With a small spatula, frost bottoms of half the cookies (about 1teaspoon filling each); top with remaining cookies (so bottom sides are together) to make sandwich cookies.
• *The fresh ginger should be peeled unless otherwise noted. To grate fresh ginger, use a microplane grater or a triangular ginger grater, which will catch unwanted ginger fibers in its teeth, leaving behind a juicy, concentrated pulp.