Chocolate Shortbread

Simple for everyday but tastes elegant enough for any cookie tray.

It is buttery and sweet with a touch of bitterness that cocoa brings with a pinch of salt.  

Add an orange glaze and you have hit all of the taste buds.

If you need it to keep its shape better, like for rolling out and cutting shapes, add another 3 tablespoons of all purpose flour, but of course it will be less buttery.

Miniature chocolate chips are optional here, or sweetened cacao nibs for something a little stronger and to amplify the antioxidants. They are crunchy and full of minerals like manganese and magnesium as well.

How to Make Chocolate Shortbread

1. Sift together the flour, cocoa, cornstarch and salt. Set that aside.

3. Starting on low speed, add the icing sugar until combined, then beat together on medium speed for about a minute.

4. Beat in the vanilla, and the coffee.

Add the chocolate pieces if you are using them, stirring in by hand.

7. Roll it out between plastic wrap or non stick parchment, about ⅓” (1cm) thick.

If you need to add flour because you are not using parchment or wrap, use as little as possible, or use a bit of icing sugar or cocoa powder.

After it is rolled out, slide it onto a tray and refrigerate until firm.  Even just half an hour.  It will be much easier to cut.

8. Remove from the fridge.

Peel off the top covering, replace it, then flip the dough over and peel off the other side.

This will make it a bit easier to remove the cookies after cutting.  

So will making sure the dough is cold.  You should be able to lift it with no problems if it is solid.

I found that if I cut them all the way through, then docked them, the cookies sometimes pulled up.  Not a big deal, just bothered me a bit.

10. Dock the pieces with a fork for a traditional look, but the purpose is to keep them flat.  Like docking a pie crust before baking.

11. Now cut all the way through.  

You could also form it into a log shape, instead of rolling out flat, kneading as you go to press out any air, which will leave holes.  Refrigerate for about an hour before making 1 cm (⅓ inch) slices.

12. Sprinkle with sugar before baking or glaze it after with an orange icing which is a nice contrast on the dark chocolate.

You can also form into a log shape, refrigerate, and slice.  Roll in sugar if you would like.

Bake 325°F (160°C) for about 15 minutes.

Leave on the cookie sheets and let cool completely.