H is for Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies (Jennifer)

Hi there!

Hope you all enjoyed a glorious weekend! This beautiful weather has been mildly distracting lately, no? Despite the draw of the great outdoors, I did find some time to spend in the kitchen this weekend and I'm really excited to share the results with you.

Under most circumstances, I wouldn't count myself a fan of shortbread cookies. To be honest, I find that most shortbread cookies fall "short" (get it? haha) of what I'm looking for in a cookie--something chewy, moist, and delectable. However, after making these cookies, I may have had a change of heart. These cookies are nutty and crumbly, with just enough texture. They are soft and buttery, with just enough sweet.

After all was said and done, I found myself sitting at the kitchen table wondering if this cookie may have turned this former shortbread doubter into a believer. If you try these, which I hope you will, I hope you become a believer, too.

Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies
from Bon Appetit, December 2004

Ingredients

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup finely ground husked toasted hazelnuts (about 2 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 4 ounces high-quality milk chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped husked toasted hazelnuts

Directions

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325°F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until smooth. Beat in 1/2 cup finely ground hazelnuts and vanilla.

Beat in flour mixture until just combined.

Shape dough by tablespoonfuls into 3-inch-long logs. Place on prepared baking sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake cookies until light golden brown around edges, about 20 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool cookies completely.

Stir milk chocolate in top of double boiler over barely simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water.

Place 1/3 cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts in small bowl. Dip 1 end of cookie into melted chocolate, then into coarsely chopped hazelnuts. Return to rack. Repeat with remaining cookies. Let stand until chocolate is set, about 1 hour. (Cookies can be made 2 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)

Review:

The only thing I did differently with this recipe was the last step of dipping the chocolate covered cookies into more chopped hazelnuts. This is simply because I had no more hazelnuts left for dipping; otherwise, I'm sure that would have made these cookies even more over-the-moon. Even without, I think they were great, and as you can tell above, they would be perfectly fine without the chocolate dip at the end. In fact, I might have liked them even more plain, or perhaps with just a chocolate drizzle. Whichever you decide, this recipe is a keeper!

Cheers!
Jen