Author Notes
I am very proud of the cookies I make that are unique from all those 'same ones you see everywhere'. This recipe, a very strong espresso- flavored tender light walnut shortbread, was originally from a 1981 Bon Appetit; I changed the flour, sugar, coffee and ganache components.They make a particularly lovely presentation, piped out in long swirls and dipped in a dark chocolate ganache which works very well with the strong espresso. —LeBec Fin
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Ingredients
- MOCHA JAVA DOUGH
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4 CUPS/ 2 LB. UNSALTED BUTTER
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2 1/4 CUPS POWDERED SUGAR, measured then sifted
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6-7 TABLESPOONS ESPRESSO POWDER, MEDAGLIO D'ORO
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BOILING WATER, ~1 TEASPOON (just enough to dissolve coffee into paste)
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1 CUP FINELY GROUND WALNUTS
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3 CUPS SPELT FLOUR, not sifted
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3 CUPS AP FLOUR, measured and sifted
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PINCH KOSHER SALT
- DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE
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1 LB. UNSALTED BUTTER
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12 OUNCES 72% DARK CHOCOLATE, chopped or shaved
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4 OUNCES UNSWEETENED CHOCOLATE, chopped or shaved
Directions
- MOCHA JAVA DOUGH
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With a paddle in a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar til light and creamy. Carefully and slowly add hot water to coffee and stir til dissolved and a paste forms. Add paste to butter.Mix briefly. Add flour til mixed in; add walnuts.
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Make saran sausages of the dough like this:
https://food52.com/recipes/16858-no-muss-piping-bag-technique
in a piping bag, with a simple shell? tip (same one as in the photo; makes ridges) pipe dough into 3" fluted lengths onto parchment or silpat-lined sheet pan.
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Bake at 350 degrees F 14-15 minutes til lightly browned. Cool and dip halfway in ganache, gently scraping the ganache off the bottom of the cookie. Place on a wax-paper-lined container or sheet pan. You will probably need to re-heat and/or chill the ganache as it thickens and thins. When it's too thin (not set up enough)it pools around the cookie; and when it is too thick, it glops on the cookie and often causes it to break. So it's worth it to fiddle with til it is the right viscosity!
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*These cookies freeze well, either raw and piped out, or baked and dipped in ganache. Either way, they have a shelf-life of at least 3 months.
- DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE
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Microwave butter to melt. Add chocolate and stir well and nuke on low, checking every minute or two, until melted.
My eating passions are Japanese, Indian, Mexican; with Italian and French following close behind. Turkish/Arabic/Mediterranean cuisines are my latest culinary fascination. My desert island ABCs are actually 4 Cs: citrus, cumin, cilantro, cardamom, and GARLIC! I am so excited by the level of sophistication that I see on Food52 and hope to contribute recipes that will inspire you like yours do me. I would like to ask a favor of all who do try a recipe of mine > Would you plse review it and tell me truthfully how it worked for you and/or how you think it would be better? I know many times we feel that we don't want to hurt someone's feelings, but. i really do want your honest feedback because it can only help me improve the recipe.Thanks so much.
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