Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread Food

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Chop the hazelnuts and the chocolate and set aside. I use the toasted hazelnuts from Trader Joe's. If you are using raw hazelnuts, toast the nuts at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes until lightly browned.
• Place the butter, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and mix on medium speed until the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Stop the mixer, scrape down the bowl and add all the flour at once. Turn the mixer to low speed and mix until all the flour is just combined. The dough will be crumbly at this point. Increase the mixer speed to medium and mix until the dough has completely come together. Add the hazelnuts and the chopped chocolate and mix on low speed until they are well combined into the dough.
• Turn the cookie dough out onto a lightly floured surface. You can turn it out onto a large piece of parchment paper or Silpat. Use your hands to shape the dough into a rectangle and lightly flour the top of the dough. Do not use too much flour, just enough to keep the rolling pin from sticking.
• Roll the dough out to 1/2-inch thick. Use a 2-inch round cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. Place the cookies on parchment lined cookie sheet about 1-inch apart. Prick each cookie in the center with a fork. Pricking the cookies will ensure they bake in the center.
• Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. Chilling the dough will help the cookies hold their shape when baking.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Sprinkle each cookie with flaky sea salt. Bake the cookies for 25-30 minutes. The bottom of the cookies will be lightly golden brown.
• Take the cookies out of the oven and allow them to cool for about 5 minutes on the cookie sheet before moving them to a cookie rack to completely cool.
• The cookies can be stored in a container for about 1 week.

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter, Nutella and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg. In another bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Add hazelnuts; mix well., Divide dough in half; shape each into a disk. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-1/4-in. scalloped round cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until bottoms are light brown, 8-10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. If desired, dust with confectioners' sugar.

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat and over to 350° F (175° C).
• Combine the ground hazelnuts, flour, cocoa powder and salt and stir/sift together and set aside.
• Using a hand or stand mixer, combine the butter and sugar until they're well mixed. Add the vanilla and mix again.
• Add the flour mixture a little at a time, and continue to mix until well-combined. Stir in the hazelnut pieces and mix again. The dough will generally not stay together while mixing, and will instead form many small balls or clumps.
• Form the dough into small circles and flatten into patties by hand or, for a more uniform appearance, by pressing them into a small measuring cup or circular cookie cutters.
• Space the cookies out by about 5-7 cm (2-3 inches) on a cookie-sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the bottoms are a rich brown (but NOT burnt) and the centers are fairly firm. Baking time can vary depending on your oven and the colour of your baking sheet, so keep an eye on the cookies.
• Set the cookies aside to cool for about 30 minutes. You can frost the cooled cookies with a chocolate ganache if you want to get extra fancy, but they're wonderful as-is.

CHOCOLATE DIPPED HAZELNUT SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place hazelnuts on baking sheet. Bake until they're a shade darker and fragrant, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
• Lower oven to 325 degrees F.
• Place hazelnuts in blender or food processor and pulse to coarse bits; set aside. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt to blend; set aside.
• Beat butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Add the chopped hazelnuts and mix until distributed evenly throughout.
• Form into approximately 1-inch by 2-inch long cookies and place on greased cookie sheets. Bake until firm, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on racks.
• In a saucepan over lowest heat or in a double boiler, melt chocolate. Dip 1 end of cooled cookies into melted chocolate. Place back on cookie sheet to harden.
• Serves: 12; Calories: 242; Total Fat:17 grams; Saturated Fat: 7 grams; Protein: 4 grams; Total carbohydrates: 21 grams; Sugar: 12 grams; Fiber: 2 grams; Cholesterol: 38 milligrams; Sodium: 124 milligrams

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT SHORTBREAD SQUARES

Steps:

• Crust: Preheat oven to 375 degrees with rack in middle. Butter a 9-inch square cake pan. Line bottom and 2 sides with parchment, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Butter parchment.
• With a mixer on medium speed, beat butter with brown sugar, vanilla, and salt until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low; beat in flour until combined and a soft dough forms.
• Spread dough in prepared pan, pressing evenly with the bottom of a dry-measure cup. Prick all over with a fork. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
• Truffle: In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat; whisk in chocolate until melted and combined. Add liqueur and salt, whisking until blended, then stir in nuts. Let cool slightly.
• Pour chocolate mixture evenly over cooled crust. Refrigerate, uncovered, until cold and set, about 2 hours.
• Remove shortbread from pan using parchment; place on a cutting board. Dust top completely with cocoa powder. Cut into 48 squares, dipping knife in hot water and wiping clean before each slice. Refrigerate in a single layer until ready to serve, up to 1 week.

CHOCOLATE TART WITH HAZELNUT SHORTBREAD CRUST

Steps:

• A sublime silky chocolate custard fills this simple hazelnut shortbread crust. Serve garnished with whipped cream and toasted hazelnuts for a special touch.;
• Preheat oven to 400F. 2. To prepare crust: Coat a 9-inch tart pan with cooking spray. Combine whole-wheat pastry flour, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, hazelnuts, 1/4 cup sugar and salt in a food processor; process until the nuts are finely ground. Add butter one piece at a time, pulsing once or twice after each addition, until incorporated. Add oil and ice water and pulse just until incorporated. Turn the dough out into the prepared pan (it will be crumbly), spread evenly and press firmly into the bottom and all the way up the sides to form a crust. 3. Bake the crust until set and the edges are beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. 4. To prepare filling: Sprinkle gelatin over water in a small bowl; let stand, stirring once or twice, while you prepare the rest of the filling. 5. Heat milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until steaming (but not boiling); remove from the heat to cool slightly. 6. Whisk egg yolks, 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon flour in a medium bowl until combined. Gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of the hot milk. Whisk the egg yolk mixture into the pan with the remaining hot milk. Return to the heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (do not boil), about 1 minute. Remove from the heat; whisk in chocolate until completely melted. Whisk in the softened gelatin and coffee liqueur (if using) until smooth. 7. Beat reconstituted egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until frothy. Increase speed to high and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes. Gently fold the chocolate custard into the egg whites until blended. Spoon the filling into the crust; smooth the top with the back of a spoon and chill, uncovered, until set, about 1 hour.
• NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 268 calories; 16 g fat (6 g sat, 7 g mono); 55 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbohydrate; 6 g protein; 3 g fiber; 141 mg sodium; 117 mg potassium. 2 Carbohydrate Servings Exchanges: 2 carbohydrates (other), 3 fat
• TIP: Ingredient Note: Dried egg whites are pasteurized-a wise choice when making uncooked fillings. You'll find them in the baking or natural-foods section of most supermarkets. Reconstitute according to package directions.
• MAKE AHEAD TIP: Loosely cover and refrigerate the tart for up to 1 day. | Equipment: 9-inch tart pan (with or without removable bottom)
• From www.eatingwell.com with permission. 2009 Eating Well Inc. Photo by Ken Burris

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED HAZELNUT SHORTBREAD WEDGES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. and butter and flour two 8-inch round cake pans. In a food processor grind fine the hazelnuts with the flour and the sugar, add the butter, and blend the mixture until it is combined well. Press half the dough evenly onto the bottom of each of the pans, cut through each round of dough with a small knife to score 16 wedges, and bake the shortbread in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes, or until it is pale golden. While the shortbread is still warm, cut through the rounds again and let them cool in the pans on a rack. Choose 2 plates slightly smaller than the pans, put a plate directly on the surface of the shortbread, and invert the shortbread carefully onto it.
• In a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water melt the chocolate with the shortening, stirring until the mixture is smooth, and transfer the mixture to a deep narrow cup or glass measure. Dip the points of the shortbread wedges into the chocolate mixture, coating them halfway and letting any excess drip off. Transfer the shortbread wedges as they are dipped to rack set over a sheet of wax paper and let them stand until the chocolate is set.

ESPRESSO, HAZELNUT & CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Mix the espresso powder with 1 tsp hot water to form a paste (you'll think it isn't enough water but it is - don't add more otherwise it'll be too watery). Set aside.
• Beat the butter and sugar until soft and blended, then beat in the coffee mixture. Don't overbeat the mixture as you don't want to incorporate too much air. (If the coffee isn't completely incorporated, don't worry - it will be once you add the flours).
• Sift together the flours and add them to the butter in three lots, mixing in with a wooden spoon and, eventually, your hands. Bring together into a ball, then transfer to a lightly floured surface and quickly knead in the hazelnuts. Don't overdo this - you don't want the butter to get too warm. Press the dough into a circle, wrap it in cling film and put in the fridge for about 40 mins.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 0.75cm thick. Cut out circles about 6cm across with a biscuit cutter and put the circles on a non-stick baking sheet (or two baking sheets, depending on their size). Re-roll the dough as you need to, but try not to do this too often. Put the baking sheets in the coldest part of the fridge and leave them for about 45 mins. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3.
• Bake the shortbread for 20 mins, or until the top is just firm when you press it with your index finger. Take out of the oven and leave on the baking sheets to cool for a while (it is very fragile when hot), then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, then remove the bowl and leave to cool a little and rm up somewhat. Dip each piece of shortbread halfway in the melted chocolate, then put on a sheet of baking parchment. Sprinkle the toasted hazelnuts on the chocolate half and leave to set completely. Will keep for 4 days in an airtight tin.

CHOCOLATE DIPPED HAZELNUT SHORTBREAD RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place hazelnuts on baking sheet. Bake until they're a shade darker and fragrant, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
• Lower oven to 325 degrees F.
• Place hazelnuts in blender or food processor and pulse to coarse bits; set aside. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt to blend; set aside.
• Beat butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon until smooth. Beat in egg. Gradually beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Add the chopped hazelnuts and mix until distributed evenly throughout.
• Form into finger sized logs, about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons dough each, and place on greased cookie sheets. Bake until firm, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on racks.
• In a saucepan over lowest heat or in a double boiler, melt chocolate. Dip 1 end of cooled cookies into melted chocolate. Place back on cookie sheet to harden.

HAZELNUT SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
• Process nuts, flour, sugar, and salt in food processor with on/off pulses until nuts are ground to powder. Pour in butter; process with pulses until well blended.
• Divide dough in half and press firmly and evenly in pans. Cut each circle into 12 wedges.
• Bake until set and very pale tan, 20-23 minutes. Transfer to wire rack. Recut wedges and let cool slightly.
• Place plate slightly smaller than cake pans directly on each shortbread. Carefully invert and remove pans.
• Heat chocolate and shortening in top of double boiler over simmering water until smooth and shiny. Pour into narrow cup about 3 to 4 inches deep.
• Dip tip of each wedge into warm chocolate. Place on wire rack to cool until chocolate sets. Store in airtight containers.