Chocolate Shortbreads Tested Recipe

Chocolate Shortbread Recipe

I have been eating a lot of pistachios lately. Their sweet delicate flavor is highly addictive and their health benefits (heart healthy and a good source of fiber) make them an ideal nut to add to our diets. Pistachios also go extremely well with chocolate, so when I saw this Chocolate Shortbread recipe in the book Absolutely Chocolate by the Editors of Fine Cooking, I knew I had to try it. I wasn't disappointed. The combination of a buttery rich round of chocolate shortbread covered with a chocolate glaze and pieces of crunchy green pistachios is hard to resist. You can slice the round into large or small wedges, and did you know that shortbread wedges are often referred to as "petticoat tails", as their shape is similar to the bell-hoop petticoats worn by court ladies in the 12th century?

Let's face it, a good shortbread is all about the butter and these Chocolate Shortbreads are no different. So it is important to use the best unsalted butter you can afford. I prefer using unsalted butter as the salt in 'salted' butter can overpower its sweet flavor and can also mask any odors the butter may have absorbed in storage. Besides the butter, a good vanilla extract adds a nice flavor to these shortbreads. I always buy "pure" vanilla extract, not the ones labeled "imitation" vanilla extracts as they are made with synthetic vanilla (from glycoside found in the sapwood of certain conifers or from coal extracts) and leave a bitter aftertaste. The chocolate color and flavor of this shortbread comes from cocoa powder. I have made this recipe using both regular unsweetened and Dutch-process cocoa powder and both were delicious. Just keep in mind that like semi sweet chocolate, the brand and type of cocoa powder will determine the flavor of the shortbread. (I particularly like Scharffen Bergen Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder.) Once the shortbread is removed from the oven a chocolate glaze, made by melting semi sweet chocolate with butter, is immediately spread over the shortbread. The final touch is to sprinkle chopped roasted pistachios (use lightly salted or unsalted) over the top. You could also use almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, or pecans in place of the pistachios, just be sure to gently press the nuts into the glaze as you do not want them to fall off the shortbreads as you are taking a bite.

Chocolate Shortbreads: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) with the rack in the center of the oven. Lightly butter, or spray with a non stick vegetable spray, an 8-9 inch (20-23 cm) tart pan with a removable bottom.

In a bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.

Then, in the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until smooth (about 2 - 3 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract and egg yolk. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the flour cocoa mixture to the butter and sugar mixture and beat just until a dough forms.

Press the shortbread dough in an even layer onto the bottom of the tart pan. Bake for about 20 - 25 minutes, or just until the shortbread no longer looks wet and is firm to the touch. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, melt the chocolate and butter in a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Immediately upon removing the shortbread from the oven, pour the warm chocolate glaze over the shortbread and, using an offset spatula or back of a spoon, evenly spread the glaze to within 1/2 inch (1 cm) of the edge of the shortbread. Sprinkle with the chopped pistachios and press them gently into the glaze. Let the chocolate shortbread cool completely then cut into 12-16 wedges.

Can be stored in a container at room temperature for several days.

Makes 12-16 shortbread wedges.

Adapted From:

From the Editors of Fine Cooking. Absolutely Chocolate. The Taunton Press. Newtown CT: 2009.

Chocolate Shortbreads:

1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour

1/4 cup (25 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder (regular or Dutch-processed)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated white sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 large egg yolk

Glaze:

3 ounces (90 grams) semi sweet chocolate, chopped

2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/3 cup (35 grams) lightly salted or unsalted roasted pistachios, coarsely chopped