Espresso Shortbread Cookies

To make the cookies, place the butter, sugar and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer (this much easier than using a hand mixer; if you do use a hand mixer, use a large bowl). Mix on low speed until combined. You should still be able to see sugar granules in the butter. Add the flour, vanilla and finely ground espresso beans. Mix until it comes together. This will take a few minutes. When the dough just pulls away from the bowl (like a pie dough) and pulls together, stop mixing. Do not over mix.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters or cut squares or rectangles/bars with a knife. Place the cookies on parchment paper on top of a cookie pan and chill for about 20 minutes in the fridge.

While the cookies are chilling, preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Place in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cookies look dry on top and are a shade darker. Remove from the oven and let cool.

To melt chocolate and dip the cookies, place the semisweet or bittersweet chocolate in a double boiler (I used a glass bowl over a small saucepan with gently simmering water). Add the vegetable shortening or oil (I used canola) and stir until it is melted and glossy. Take each cookie and dip it halfway into the chocolate and set on waxed paper until set, approximately 2 hours.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Fine Cooking Issue #23, Chocolate-Dipped Espresso Shortbread.