A friend has a cookie exchange party every year on her birthday. She serves baked potatoes and salad and drinks and everyone brings a couple dozen cookies. It is a good time and I just went to the 10th annual party! Which presents a small problem in that I’ve already brought all my “go-to” recipes in the past. So I decided to bring something new and I wanted the presentation to be good as she puts all the cookies out on display on her dining table. So I did a little research and came up with this recipe.
—-Colleen
Coffee Shortbread Dipped in Chocolate
3 ¾ cups flour
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
3 teaspoons espresso powder
2 cups butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
pinch salt
Chocolate Glaze:
2 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 stick butter
Soften the 2 cups of butter. Dissolve the espresso powder in the vanilla extract in a small bowl. Add the sugar to the butter and cream and add in the espresso and vanilla mixture. Add in the flour and mix well. If you are using unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt to the dough.
Pat the dough into two flat disks, wrap and refrigerate. When the dough is chilled, roll out on a Silpat using a sheet of plastic film or waxed paper on top so the dough doesn’t stick. Roll to about ½ inch thickness. Cut out small circles with cookie cutter or any other shape you like. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes on parchment lined cookies sheets. Check for doneness – they should feel “set” to the touch and be just beginning to brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
Glaze:
Melt the chocolate chips and butter in a large bowl. Dip the cooled cookies in the chocolate half way and place on wire rack to set.
Note:
The cookies are not overly sweet, so you may want to use milk chocolate chips if you want a sweeter cookie, or you can cut back a bit on the espresso powder.
—-Colleen