Nutty Chocolate 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 SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Make the cookies: Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Beat the butter, egg yolk, vanilla, salt and cloves in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder until combined, then beat in the flour in two batches until combined.
• Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and dust with flour. Gently knead until soft but not sticky. Reflour the surface, if necessary, and roll out the dough until slightly thicker than 1/4 inch. Cut out shapes using 3-inch cookie cutters. Gently gather and reroll the scraps. (If the dough is too soft to work with, refrigerate until firm.) Arrange the cutouts about 2 inches apart on 2 unlined baking sheets.
• Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are firm, about 20 minutes. Let cool 3 minutes on the pans, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
• Make the icing: Whisk the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and 1 tablespoon milk in a small bowl until smooth. Gradually stir in up to 1 more tablespoon milk until the icing is thick but pourable. Spoon the icing into a small resealable plastic bag and snip off a corner. Pipe the icing on the cookies, then sprinkle with sanding sugar. Let set, about 10 minutes.

NUTTY CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Melt the 10 tablespoons of butter and set aside.
• On a lightly greased baking sheet bake the nuts for 2-3 minutes. Shake and bake for 2-3 more minutes.
• In the food processor grind the nuts until fine.
• Add the flour and sugar and pulse a few times to mix. Add the 10 tablespoons of butter and pulse again.
• Form the dough into two balls and press each of them into a buttered and floured 8 inch pie pan.
• Cut each of the rounds of dough into 16 slices.
• Bake on the middle oven rack for 20 - 25 minutes, or until pale golden. Let cool on a rack before cutting again and inverting onto a plate.
• While the dough is baking melt together the 1 tablespoon of butter and the chocolate. When the shortbread is finished baking drizzle a little on each slice.

CHOCOLATE CHIP SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch-square baking pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 sides.
• Beat the butter, vanilla and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the confectioners' sugar and beat until just incorporated. Add the flour in 2 batches and beat until smooth. Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips with a wooden spoon.
• Lightly dust your hands with flour and press the dough into the prepared pan. Score the top with a knife to make 9 strips, then score the strips in half to make 18 pieces. Bake until the edges are firm and the top is dry, 40 to 45 minutes.
• Immediately rescore the cookies, then let cool 20 minutes in the pan. Lift the foil to remove the shortbread from the pan and transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• Cut the shortbread into pieces along thescored lines. Put the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl; microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until melted. Drizzle over the shortbread and let stand until set, about 1 hour.

CHOCOLATE NUT SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Cover baking sheet with parchment paper; draw two circles, each 7 to 7-1/2 inches.
• Measure flour, cocoa, sugar and salt into the food processor or into the large bowl of electric mixer. Mix well. Cut the butter into thin slices and add to the flour mixture. Mix or process until mixture resembles moist sand. Add the chocolate and nuts and continue mixing until a dough forms. Shape dough into a smooth ball. Cut the dough into quarters. Shape each quarter into a smooth ball. Place dough ball onto the center of each circle drawn on the parchment paper. Flatten the round to within 1/2 inch of the inside edge of the round. With a fork, make impressions on the top of each round and use the fork to round off the edges. Sprinkle each round with 1 teaspoon sugar. With a straight knife, cut each round into eight wedges; leave wedges in place.
• Bake for 1 hour or until the shortbread is a light golden color. With a straight-edged knife, cut the wedges apart while still warm.

CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. With an electric mixer, beat butter until creamy. Add flour, sugar, and cocoa; mix just until combined. (Chill dough in the refrigerator 10 minutes if it is too soft to handle.)
• Pat dough into an 8-inch round cake pan; press edges down with the tines of a floured fork. Bake until firm, 30 minutes. Immediately score into eight wedges; cool completely. Turn out of pan; break wedges apart. Decorate with icing.

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.

MIXED-NUT SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.
• Stir together butter and 1/3 cup sugar in a medium bowl with a wooden spoon until combined well. Stir in vanilla, then add flour and mix with your hands just until a dough forms.
• Transfer dough to a lightly greased baking sheet and spread evenly with your fingers to form an 8-inch square. Sprinkle nuts evenly over dough, pressing down to help them adhere.
• Sprinkle remaining tablespoon sugar over nuts and bake until shortbread is deep golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Cool on baking sheet on a rack, 10 minutes. Cut into 18 (roughly 3- by 1 1/2-inch) bars.