Chocolate Hazelnut Espresso Shortbread

Name: Chocolate Hazelnut Espresso Shortbread
Ingredients: 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour; 1 cup packed brown sugar; ½ cup cocoa; 3 tbsp cornstarch; 1 tbsp instant espresso or coffee (or finely ground espresso beans); ¼ tsp salt; 1 cup butter, cold and cut into chunks; 1 tsp vanilla; ¾ cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned, and coarsely chopped; ½ cup chocolate chips (optional, to drizzle)

AuthorJulie

Yields1 Serving

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup packed brown sugar

½ cup cocoa

3 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp instant espresso or coffee (or finely ground espresso beans)

¼ tsp salt

1 cup butter, cold and cut into chunks

1 tsp vanilla

¾ cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned, and coarsely chopped

½ cup chocolate chips (optional, to drizzle)

Preheat oven to 350°F. In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, brown sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, espresso and salt. Add butter and vanilla and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add nuts; blend until finely chopped. Transfer dough to floured work surface. Knead just until dough comes together.

Divide dough in half and press each into an 8" or 9” round cake pan, or tart pan with removable bottom. If you like, press around the edge with the tines of a fork. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until set. Cool on a wire rack, then cut each shortbread round into 12 wedges.

If you want to drizzle your shortbread with chocolate, put the chocolate chips into a zip-lock baggie and seal. Place in a bowl of very warm water and let sit until melted. Knead the bag a bit to make sure there are no chunks left. When smooth, snip a tiny corner off and drizzle chocolate over cookies. Let stand until chocolate sets.

Categorycookies & squares