Chocolate Crunch Shortbread Cookies from Colleen

Salty chocolate shortbread studded with dark chocolate and crunchy cocoa nibs

(recipe from Wall Street Journal)

Hi--

I made these again.

William reports that they are excellent with whiskey.  It's very cold in Northfield (Minnesota).  He is hunkering down and trying to stay cozy.

Eating these at night may keep you awake!  They pack quite a dark chocolate punch.

Cacoa nibs have theobromine which affects some people like caffeine.  Plus

I used dark 74% chocolate chopped up.  They are not overly sweet.

Nibs are a good source of fiber!  As is darker chocolate.  Clearly these are a health food.

I used sugar sprinkles instead of salt flakes as the recipe calls for.  I tried one batch with the salt but they were not preferred to the version with sugar sprinkles.

 ---Colleen

Chocolate Crunch Shortbread Cookies
(Wall Street Journal - Jane Black, Dec 9, 2015)

This was inspired by a cookie in New York's City Bakery.

Makes 6 dozen 

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plus 1 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 t. baking powder
2 sticks unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
3/4 cup sugar
6 ounces dark chocolate, roughly chopped
1/2 cup cocoa nibs
1 t. vanilla extract
3/4 t. sea salt
Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, for garnish (or sugar sprinkles instead)

Use a fine-mesh to sift flour, cocoa powder and baking powder into a large bowl.

Use an electric mixer with a paddle attachment on medium speed to beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.  Reduce speed to low.  Add flour mixture in 3 parts, beating after each addition until just incorporated.  Add chocolate, cocoa nibs, vanilla and sea salt, mixing until just combined.

Divide dough into three parts.  On a lightly floured work surface, roll each part into a log about 1 inch in diameter.

Wrap each log tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until dough is firm, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease them with butter.

Slice dough logs into rounds about 1/4 inch thick.  Place rounds on baking sheet about 1.5 inches apart, then sprinkle with a pinch of flaky salt or sugar sprinkles.  Bake until cooked through but still soft, about 16 minutes, rotating baking sheets from back to front halfway through.  Cookies will harden as they cool.  Remove from oven and let cool.

Cookies will keep up to 1 week in an airtight container.

You can freeze the dough, wrapped well, 1 month.  Thaw in fridge overnight, slice and bake.



---Colleen