Chocolate Covered Shortbread With Toffee Pecans Food

CHOCOLATE AND ORANGE PECAN SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Beat in orange peel, vanilla and orange extract. On low speed, beat in flour and salt. Stir in pecans and chocolate chips.
• Divide dough in half; shape into 2 flat disks. Wrap 1 disk in plastic wrap.
• On floured surface, roll unwrapped dough about 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 2 1/2-inch circles with plain or fluted cookie cutter (or cut into desired shapes). On ungreased cookie sheet, place cookies about 1 inch apart. Repeat with second disk.
• Bake 15 to 19 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.

CHOCOLATE-TOFFEE SHORTBREAD FINGERS

Steps:

• 1. Line a few baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the nuts and toffee bits in a shallow bowl.
• 2. Combine the chocolate and oil in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat the chocolate in the microwave on high until melted, 30 seconds to 1 minute depending on the strength of your microwave. Stir until smooth. (Alternatively, place water to a depth of 1 inch in the bottom of a double boiler or a large saucepan and bring to a bare simmer. Place the chocolate chips and oil in the top of the double boiler or in a stainless steel bowl big enough to rest on top of the saucepan without touching the water. Heat, whisking occasionally, until the chocolate is melted.)
• 3. Hold a cookie by one end and dip it into the chocolate, turning, to coat three quarters of the cookie; let the excess drip back into the bowl. Hold the cookie over the bowl of nuts and toffee bits and sprinkle some of the mixture onto the chocolate-coated top and sides of the cookie. Place the cookie on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining cookies. Let the cookies rest until the chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.
• Chocolate-Toffee Shortbread Fingers will keep, between layers of parchment paper, in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week
• Note:
• To toast the pecans, place them in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet and bake in a 350°F oven, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes. Watch them closely to make sure they don't burn, and transfer the toasted nuts to a plate to let them cool.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300˚. Lightly butter the bottom and side of a 9-inch fluted tart pan. Combine the all-purpose and whole-wheat flours, confectioners' sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse until combined. Add the butter and vanilla and pulse until the flour is moistened and the dough just begins to clump together.
• Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Prick the dough all over with a fork, about 30 times.
• Bake until the shortbread is lightly browned and set in the center, 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then sprinkle with the chopped chocolate. Let the chocolate soften, about 5 minutes, then spread into a thin layer with an offset spatula, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Top with nonpareils; let cool completely.
• Remove the tart from the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into thin wedges.

CHOCOLATE DIPPED TOFFEE PECAN SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl whisk together flour and salt, set aside. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together butter and powdered sugar, while stopping to scrape down bowl frequently, until mixture is smooth and creamy. Mix in vanilla extract then with mixer set on low speed slowly add in flour mixture and mix until nearly combined (it will be dry and crumbly at first but it will start to come together). Add in toffee bits and pecans and mix until combined (you may need to fold in those at the bottom of the bowl with a spatula). Divide dough into 2 equal portions. Shape each portion into an even 6 1/2-inch log (that is about 1 3/4-inches round) on a lightly floured surface compressing dough rather tightly together so there aren't holes in the center of the log and cookies hold together well when sliced. Wrap each portion in a separate sheet of plastic wrap. Chill dough 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees during last 15 minutes of chilling dough.
• Remove one log of dough from refrigerator. Cut into slices slightly under 1/2-inch thick. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper spacing them 2-inches apart. Bake in preheated oven until just barely golden brown on edges, about 12 - 16 minutes. Let cookies cool 5 minutes on baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining chilled dough, adding the sliced dough to a cool baking sheet (a warm baking sheet will make them spread more).
• For the chocolate coating:
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Add chocolate to a medium microwave safe bowl. Heat in microwave in 20 second intervals on 50% power stirring between intervals until melted and smooth. Dip half of each cookie into chocolate, shake to let excess run off. Transfer to parchment paper. Sprinkle each cookie with a little bit of toffee bits and pecans. Let chocolate set at room temperature or in refrigerator to set quicker. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
• *To measure scoop flour from container and level with a butter knife, rather than spooning into cup and measuring. Be careful not to pack into cup when measuring though. For best results just use a kitchen scale, I always use a scale now when I bake and I highly recommend them.
• **I like to use Fishers pecan cookie pieces, they are just tiny pecan pieces - no chopping is required and they are all about the same size.
• ***Note that since the chocolate isn't tempered it may bloom and become lightly streaky or spotty in places, if you want to avoid this you can temper the chocolate or use good quality chocolate melts.
• Recipe source: inspired by Baking and Boys

TOFFEE, PECAN CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD COOKIES-DANCING DEER BAKERY

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the flour, cocoa and salt, and stir together with a fork until blended. Set aside.
• Using an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar, and beat until just blended, 1-2 minutes. Add the egg and beat until blended about 1 minute more.
• Add the flour mixture, and on low-speed, beat until the mixture just begins to form a sticky dough, about 1 minute more. Turn out onto a floured surface, and gently pat together to form a dense ball of dough. Add toffee bits and pecans and knead gently until evenly combined, and shape into a flat round disk. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.
• Position rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325°F
• On a lightly floured surface, roll cookies out to about 1/8 " thick, and cut to desired shape. Transfer to a heavy duty cookie sheet and bake until just golden around the edges, 15-18 minutes.

PECAN TOFFEE SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to gas 4/180/350 degrees. Grease and line a 7x11" pan with silicone paper.
• Put the coffee into a bowl and pour the hot water over. Leave to infuse for 4 minutes, then strain.
• Cream the butter, peanut butter, sugar and coffee together until light. Sift the cornflour and flour together and mix it in to wet mixture to form a smooth dough.
• Press the dough into the pan and prick all over with a fork. Bake for 20 minutes.
• For the topping, put the butter, sugar and syrup into a pan and heat until melted. Bring to a boil, allow to simmer for 5 minutes, and then add the nuts.