Kid Sandwich Cookies (Cipotes) for International Children's Day, October 1st

 

October 1st is Children's Day in only five random countries: Sweden, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Guatemala, and El Salvador. The United Nations and Canada celebrate it on November 20th, since 1953, whereas most of the world chooses June the 1st. In the United States, this special occasion appeared in the 1860's, before Mother's or Father's Day, and the purpose of it is to "promote the welfare of all children". The Declaration of Children's Rights was signed in 1956.

Cipotes, the Sandwich Cookie
These buttery cookies from Guatemala and El Salvador hide a dulce de leche or jam filling, and are a perfect project for children to keep busy, as they cut small rounds of dough, or place some jam in between the baked ones.

Recipe

14 ounces of flour (3 1/2 cups)

9 ounces of butter

6 ounces of granulated sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla

Cut into 2.5 cm rounds with a decorator's tip, as cipotes are not usually very large. (I made them large by mistake the first time I tried them). You can also use small garden cookie cutters if you prefer. Bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes. Fill sandwiches with guava jam, milk candy, or any other candy. I like to dip the edges in mini chocolate chips, but you can use powder-fine grated coconut, or minced walnuts or pecans, as well. Cipotes (Kid cookies) aren't usually covered with powdered sugar; then again, you can do what you prefer with your cookies. You could even bathe them in ganache, (such as the one pictured above, to the center left) if it strikes your fancy.

References

http://www.nationalchildrensday.us/index.php

http://www.childrensdaycelebration.org/history.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children's_Day