Chocolate Dipped Expresso Shortbread

white chocolate dipped

topped with shiny dragée's

Chocolate Dipped Expresso Shortbread

For the cookies:

1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" pieces

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. table salt

2 1/4 cups flour

2 tbsp. finely ground expresso beans

For the dipping chocolate:

9 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 tbs. vegetable shortening

Combine the butter, sugar and salt in a large bowl and mix on low speed until the mixture is combined but not smooth. Add the flour and the ground expresso and mix on low speed until the mixture has pulled together. Do not overmix.

On a lightly floured surface roll out about 1/4" thick. Cut out with your favourite cookie cutters, and place on parchment lined cookie sheets. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Bake in a 300° F. preheated oven for 30 to 60 minutes, until the cookies look dry and have darkened slightly. Cool on racks.

Melt chocolate and shortening together over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Dip half of each cookie into the chocolate and set them on parchment until the chocolate has set up.

Makes about 7 dozen, 1 1/2" cookies.

I used melted white chocolate to dip my cookies into.

Coconut Macaroon Recipe

Recipe for the first day of winter, Marks favourite, coconut macaroons, very very easy, two versions. He loves coconut, and these cookies!

Coconut Macaroons

3 - 200 g pkgs flaked coconut

1 can sweetened condensed milk

2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 tsp. almond extract

Preheat oven to 325° F. In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients and mix well. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto well greased baking sheets. Bake on middle rack of oven, 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Cool slightly. Remove to wire racks, cool completely. Store covered at room temperature. Makes about 4 dozen. 

Chocolate Version:

Omit almond extract. Add 1/2 cup of cocoa, proceed as above.

Ginger Crunch Recipe

I have never been so ho hum about Christmas. The spirit has not caught me yet.. I still have a few days. I will start my baking soon. I started transforming my messy loom room back into Megan's bedroom today, I am almost there. A quick vacuum and a dusting, clean bedding and we are all set. She will arrive home late tomorrow night. I will tackle Thomas's room next .. seeing he was just home a month ago, his is not as big of a job.

My cookie recipe for today, a square, a simple little square. The recipe is also from Gourmet, I am a Gourmet magazine kind of girl! Gourmet December 1999. The recipe is called "Skibo Castle Ginger Crunch."

Ginger Crunch

For Shortbread Base

1 1/4 cups flour

3 tbsp. granulated sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. salt

1 stick butter, cut into pieces

For Topping

3/4 stick butter

1 tbsp. golden syrup (or corn syrup)

1 cup icing sugar

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 13" x 9" baking pan.

Make shortbread base:

Sift together dry ingredients and blend in butter with your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Press evenly into bottom of pan (base will be thin). Bake in the middle of oven until golden and crisp, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Make topping just before shortbread is done:

Melt butter in a small saucepan and whisk in remaining ingredients until smooth. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring, 30 seconds.

Pour topping:

Remove shortbread from oven and pour topping over, tilting pan to cover shortbread evenly. Cool in pan on a rack, then cut into small rectangles (8 rows lengthwise and 8 crosswise).

Makes about 5 dozen.

Enjoy!

Coffee Shortbread Recipe

My Christmas cookie recipe for today. Megan's other favourite cookie, coffee shortbread.  I found this recipe years ago in a magazine at my sisters. I have baked it every year since. The instructions are very abbreviated... I copied it out quickly.

Coffee Shortbread

1 cup butter

1/2 cup icing sugar

1 tbsp. instant coffee powder

1 tbsp. water

1/4 tsp. almond extract

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup rice flour

1/2 cup ground almonds

Cream together butter and sugar. 

Dissolve coffee powder in water, and beat into creamed mixture. Add almond extract. Combine flours and almonds and stir into creamed mixture.

Roll out to 1/2" thickness, cut with your favourite cookie cutter. I use a small fluted round cutter. Prick cookie top with a fork, you may  sprinkle the top with coarse sugar. Bake at 375° F for 25 to 30 minutes.. watch for colour. They should stay pale and not brown. Cool on a rack, and store in a tightly covered container.

Enjoy!