February 1, 2009

in the kitchen with the {newnew}: espresso shortbread

though i first made them for christmas gifts, these very grown-up cookies seem tailor-made for valentine's day. they'd be right at home next to a big cappuccino or latte on a breakfast-in-bed tray, or tucked into a bowl of ice cream for dessert. your valentine will thank you....

ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup confectioners sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
1/4 cup ground espresso
1/2 teaspoon salt
4-6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (or use chips)


1) beat the butter and sugar in an electric mixer until creamy and smooth (about 2 minutes). add the vanilla and beat well. on low speed, mix in the flour, espresso, and salt until just combined.


2) scrape the the dough out of the mixing bowl with a spatula, making sure all ingredients are incorporated. form it into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least two hours.


3) preheat oven to 300˚. roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4" thick (it should be about an 8" x 10" rectangle). using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 2" squares and place 1" apart on ungreased baking sheets. prick them with a fork, and bake until pale golden around the edges, about 20-24 minutes. cool completely on a wire rack.


4) when the shortbread is cool, melt the chocolate on medium-low heat in the microwave until liquid---about 2-1/2 minutes in my microwave, possibly faster in yours. dip half of each shortbread square into the chocolate. as you get down to the bottom of the bowl, use a spatula to scrape out the dregs of the chocolate and coat the last of the cookies. though the picture below shows them cooling on a rack post-chocolate, i found the chocolate stuck to the rack, and had better luck when i cooled them on wax paper in future batches.




- cakehouse

13 comments:

May Luk Ceramics said...

I'm making this next week. You have a Kitchen Aid? Sew Jealous!

Simone said...

Yummy. We should have a Kitchen Aid collage. Mine is yellow.

MaryAnne LoVerme said...

Looks absolutely delicious!

cakehouse said...

i heart my kitchen aid... it was the best thing i got off my wedding registry. we should definitely do a kitchen aid collage--they qualify as art in my eyes. :)

Mannie of MannieMandible said...

Oh my goodness!! Espresso shortbread? Am I in heaven??

♥Mannie

Paperelle said...

Oh, I should not have read this while I was hungry. They look delicious, and I'm loving the red KitchenAid. Mine's pink, we should have {NewNew} bake-off, it would be very colorful!

nordeasoaperie said...

sounds yummy!
i have a blue kitchenaid, but i use it for whipped shea and scrubs. maybe it is time to invest in another bowl....

waisze said...

Wow yummmy! I want one!

bshorr said...

omg kristen, these look amazing - i'm def gonna try to make them!

Sayo said...

I am really jealous of all of your Kitchen Aids. And those look delicious. I want one.

Anonymous said...

Uh oh... must... start... baking... ACK!

Unknown said...

This sounds so good! I think I'll give this recipe a try....

May Luk Ceramics said...

This is my version working out of this recipe.
http://ceramicdish.blogspot.com/2009/02/terrys-chocolate-orange-shortbread.html