Chocolate-Dipped Cardamom Shortbread with Salted Pistachios

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9 inch pan with parchment paper and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar using an electric mixer on medium-high for a full minute, until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and ground cardamom and mix. Add the flour and mix on medium-high until completely combined, another full minute.

Press dough in an even layer into the prepared pan. Bake until lightly golden, 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven. Immediately cut into 1 x 3 inch bars. Allow to cool completely.

Once bars are cooled, melt the chocolate with the shortening in a double boiler, stirring frequently as it heats. Dip the bars into the melted chocolate and shake to remove excess.

Place cookies on a wire rack and sprinkle with salted pistachios. Allow to set around one hour.

Shortbread adapted from allrecipes.com, recipe for Shortbread Cookies II.