Combine flour, sugar, spices and salt in medium bowl. Cop up the sugared ginger combined with 1 tablespoon raw sugar on chopping board or work surface until chopped finely.
Using electric mixer, beat butter until light and then add orange zest, vanilla & ginger into mixture.
Incorporate dry ingredients into butter mixture adding bit by bit until dough comes together fully.
Flour the work bench surface and divide dough into half, rolling into logs.
Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for an hour or can be made over night.
When ready to bake, Preheat oven to 175°C. Lightly butter 2 large baking sheets.
Remove cookie dough from fridge, cut 1/3-inch-thick pieces from each dough log.
Transfer the cookies to prepared baking sheets, with spacing in between to allow for bake spread.
Mix raw sugar and reserved ¼ cup of chopped crystallized ginger in small bowl, set aside.
Place cookies in oven and after 10 minutes, remove trays from oven and sprinkle sugared ginger mixture on top of cookies to bake further 5 mins. or until golden brown edges start to appear.
Cool cookies on baking sheets for 5 mins. Then using a spatula, transfer cookies to wire racks for further cool down.
While cookies are in cool down mode, you can start to prepare dark chocolate ganache for cookies.
Here is what you need for Chocolate Ganache.
8 ounces of dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces
¾ cup heavy thickened cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Place pot of water to simmering on stove top, place mixer bowl with chocolate to just melting point and remove from heat. Place to one side.
Heat the cream and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until almost boiling, about 3-4 mins. Immediately pour hot cream over the chocolate and stir until smooth and allow to cool before spreading between cookies.
Sandwich cookies together and then serve. Enjoy!