Before hand: Trace 1 ½ inch circles on parchment paper. Flip paper over when ready to pipe cookies.
Make ganache first: in small sauce pan, heat heavy cream and butter until edges start to bubble. Remove from heat and stir in coffee, chocolate chips, peppermint extract. Let cool and thicken before piping onto cookies.
In processor bowl, add almond flour, powdered sugar, cocoa powder. Turn on high and process until almond flour is fine.
Pour into sifter and sift into bowl. Return mixture that was left in strainer to processor and process again. Sift through sieve again. If more than 1-2 tablespoons are left in the bowl, add back to processor. Repeat if necessary until 1-2 tablespoons remain in sieve.
In clean bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg whites on high until they begin to foam. Add cream of tartar; continue beating. Once whites start to raise in volume, slowly add granulated sugar. Beat on high just until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold 1/3 of flour mixture into egg whites. As batch starts to turn a dark chocolate color, add second batch. Gently fold into mixture. *
Fit piping bag with a 1A tip and set into large glass. Fill bag with the cookie mixture and gently pipe onto template.
Set on counter for 20-30 minutes until slightly dry to touch.
Bake at 350 for 6-7 minutes.
Allow to cool and gently pipe ganache on cookie; press another cookie on top.
Roll edges in crushed peppermint candies or sprinkle on top.
*I ended up using all but an eighth of a cup of the flour mix. The mixture was turning very thick and I didn’t want to over mix the merengue.