Christmas

Orange & Zesty Chocolate Ginger Shortbread

February 14, 2012
0
0 Ratings
  • Makes about 2 dozen cookies
Author Notes

More chocolate intensity, yet not too sweet. The recipe is adapted from The Joy of Chocolate by Judith Olney - an old staple cookbook in my cupboard. Richer than biscotti but equally good with coffee, this is a cookie that melts in the mouth, and just a bite satisfies for a rich dessert. I make it easy on myself by foregoing the traditional shortbread mold, and rolling the dough refrigerator-cookie-style. Kick it up a notch with the addition of fresh ginger, cinnamon, orange zest and cardamom. . . and yum. —Vivian Henoch

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
  • 1/2 cup (one stick) unsalted butter
  • 2/3 cup confectioner's sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon cardamom seeds
  • 1/2 cup chopped pistachio nuts
  • 2 tablespoons cream (or half and half)
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Melt chocolate over hot water (or in a double boiler) and cool.
  3. Using a mixer, cream butter and sugar together; add chocolate and blend well.
  4. Stir cocoa, flour and cornstarch into the butter mixture, blend until the mixture lightly crumbles. Add cream to moisten dough. (Milk, water or a liqueur such as Cointreau may be substituted for the cream.)
  5. On a pastry board or mat, form dough into a log, as you would with refrigerator cookies. Refrigerate for thirty minutes. Cut log into 1/4-inch slices and place on a greased cookie sheet.
  6. Bake for 25 minutes.
Contest Entries

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • hardlikearmour
    hardlikearmour
  • EmilyC
    EmilyC
  • AntoniaJames
    AntoniaJames
  • drbabs
    drbabs

4 Reviews

hardlikearmour February 19, 2012
Yum! I love shortbread, and your chocolate spiced variety sounds like Nirvana!
 
EmilyC February 15, 2012
These look and sound wonderful!
 
AntoniaJames February 15, 2012
Great recipe! Looking forward to trying this. ;o)
 
drbabs February 14, 2012
Yes. Please.