Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

　　

Ingredients

Makes about 32 petits fours

　　

For cookie base

1 cup all-purpose flour

　　2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

　　2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　7 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped

　　1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

　　2 large eggs

　　2 teaspoons finely grated fresh orange zest

　　

For topping

1/2 cup chilled heavy cream

　　1 teaspoon sugar

　　4 navel orange segments, membranes discarded from each and fruit cut into 1/4-inch pieces

　　

Special Equipment

2 (12-inch-long) sheets of parchment paper; a 1 1/2-inch round fluted cookie cutter

　　

Make cookie base:

Step 1

Whisk together flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in a bowl.

　　

Step 2

Melt chocolate and butter in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove bowl from heat and stir in eggs, zest, and flour mixture until just combined. (Dough will be soft.)

　　

Step 3

Roll out dough between parchment sheets into an 8-inch round (1/2 inch thick). Transfer round (still in parchment) to a large baking sheet and chill until firm, at least 1 hour, or freeze at least 30 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Preheat oven to 350°F.

　　

Step 5

Remove top sheet of parchment paper and replace it loosely. Flip over paper-enclosed round and discard paper now on top. Cut out about 20 cookies with cookie cutter and arrange about 1 inch apart on a buttered large baking sheet. Reroll scraps between parchment sheets and cut out 12 more cookies (chill or freeze dough as needed if it becomes too soft to handle).

　　

Step 6

Bake cookies in middle of oven until matte (dough will start out shiny and turn dull), about 10 minutes, then transfer with a spatula to a rack to cool completely. (Cookies will have a fudgy consistency.)

　　

Top cookies:

Step 7

Beat cream and sugar with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks. Top each cookie with 1/2 teaspoon cream and a piece of orange.

　　Cooks' notes:

　　• Dough can be chilled, wrapped well in plastic wrap, up to 1 day or frozen up to 1 week. • Baked cookies (without topping) can be made 2 days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.