This is a really easy batter to make you can use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer or just do it by hand. The first thing you need to do is beat the butter and add your room temperature unsalted butter into the bowl of your electric stand mixer, (most of the flavour of the shortbread comes from the butter so try to use good quality butter) fitted with the paddle attachment or with a hand mixer.
Beat the butter until smooth and creamy for about 1 minute on medium speed so as not to get a lot of air into the batter. Scrape the sides of the bowl using a spatula add the confectioner sugar which will give it a nice texture to keep the shortbread creamy smooth you could use granulated sugar. Add in one teaspoon of pure vanilla extract try to use it purely because that is a lot better flavour than the invitations so just beat it until creamy and smooth.
Scrape the sides using a spatula and make sure all that sugar is incorporated into the butter and beat it one minute more on medium speed you do not want too much air beating in. For the final step in a separate bowl, you need all-purpose flour and whisk in salt. Add the flour mixture into the mixture and beat just until incorporated then put the batter into a ball and let the batter chill until firm because you are going to roll and cut the cookies using a cookie cutter.
Transfer the batter to the counter and then roll it into a ball take a piece of plastic paper and flatten it and wrap it up and put it in the fridge to chill. After it is firm take it out flour the counter or work surface and then start rolling it using your floured rolling pin if it is too soft put it in the fridge and if it is hard pat it using your rolling pin. Just roll it until it is ¼ inch thick and even in thickness.
Cut the chilled shortbread into rounds or other shapes using a lightly floured 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart. Put the cookies in the refrigerator (this will firm up the dough so the cookies will maintain their shape when baked). Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) with the rack in the centre of the oven. Bake the cookies for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned.
Cool on a wire rack before dipping in the melted chocolate. Place 3 ounces of the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and place it over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Once the chocolate has melted, remove it from the heat. Add the remaining finely chopped chocolate and stir with a heatproof spatula until the chocolate has completely melted and is smooth and glossy. Then, taking one cookie at a time, dip one end of each cookie in the melted chocolate.
Place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once all the cookies have been dipped in the chocolate, place the baking sheets in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes, or until the chocolate has hardened. Shortbread cookies with keep in an airtight container for about a week or they can be frozen.
Ingredients;
- 2 cups (260 grams) of all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) salt
- 1 cup (225 grams) of unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (60 grams) powdered (confectioners or icing) sugar, sifted
Chocolate-Dip;
- 6 ounces (180 grams) semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
Instructions;
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour with the salt.
- In the bowl of your electric stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat until smooth. Add the flour mixture and beat just until incorporated.
- Divide the dough in half and then roll each half between two sheets of parchment or wax paper until it is about 1/4 inch (.6 cm) thick. As you roll, periodically check the top and bottom sheets of parchment and smooth out any wrinkles. Place the dough on a baking sheet (along with the parchment paper) and place in the refrigerator until firm (about 30-60 minutes).
- Cut the chilled shortbread into rounds or other shapes using a lightly floured 2 1/2 inch (6.5 cm) round cookie cutter. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Gather up the scraps and re-roll.
- Put the cookies in the refrigerator (this will firm up the dough so the cookies will maintain their shape when baked).
- Bake the cookies in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) for about 15 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned (the longer the cookies bake the crisper they will be). Cool on a wire rack before dipping in the melted chocolate.
Chocolate Dip:
- Place 3 ounces (90 grams) of the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and place it over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Once the chocolate has melted, remove it from the heat.
- Add the remaining finely chopped chocolate and stir with a heatproof spatula until the chocolate has completely melted and is smooth and glossy.
- Taking one cookie at a time, dip one end of each cookie in the melted chocolate. Place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Once all the cookies have been dipped in the chocolate, place the baking sheets in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes, or until the chocolate has hardened.
