One Perfect Bite: chocolate chunk

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Chocolate Chunk Shortbread

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From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a quick and easy cookie jar stuffer that you might want to include in your cookie recipe collection. I am inordinately fond of shortbread, as much for its ease of preparation, as for its buttery richness. The addition of coarsely chopped chocolate pumps this recipe up a bit and certainly makes it more interesting than plain ol' plain ol' shortbread. The recipe originally came from Taste of Home magazine and, save for substituting bittersweet for semisweet chocolate, I have not varied from it at all. I do, however, want to insert a reminder here. Shortbread does not travel well. As a matter of fact, it gives new meaning to the old saw, "that's how the cookie crumbles." I also want to emphasize that whatever chocolate you use, it should be coarsely chopped, unless you want your cookies to resemble chocolate shortbread. This is a great recipe for beginning cooks and it adapts quite well to poorly equipped summer cottage kitchens. Here is how the cookies are made.

Chocolate Chunk Shortbread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home

Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
Additional confectioners' sugar

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2) Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
3) Combine flour and cornstarch. Gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate.
4) Shape into 1-inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten with a glass dipped in confectioners' sugar.
5) Bake for 25-30 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: 2 dozen.