Espresso Shortbread Dipped in Chocolate

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Stand mixer with paddle attachment
• •Wire cooling rack
• •Sharp chef's knife
• •Microwave-safe bowl or double boiler

Instructions

1. 1

   Cream butter and sugar

   In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and continue beating until the mixture is light and almost white, another 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. The butter should look like whipped frosting, not greasy or dense.

   Properly softened butter holds a fingerprint when pressed but doesn't feel greasy. If your butter is too cold, the dough will be crumbly. Too warm, and the cookies spread during baking.
2. 2

   Add espresso and flavorings

   Dissolve the espresso powder in the vanilla extract, stirring until no granules remain. Add this mixture to the butter along with the fine sea salt. Beat on low speed until fully incorporated. The dough will take on a light tan color and smell intensely of coffee. This is exactly what you want.

3. 3

   Incorporate flour

   Add the flour all at once. Mix on the lowest speed just until the dough comes together and no dry streaks remain. Stop the mixer the moment it forms a cohesive mass. Overworking develops gluten, which transforms tender shortbread into something tough and ordinary. The dough should feel like smooth, pliable clay.

   If you don't have a stand mixer, use a wooden spoon and arm strength. Our grandmothers managed perfectly well without electricity.
4. 4

   Shape the dough

   Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it in half. Roll each portion into a log approximately 1.5 inches in diameter and 8 inches long. The logs don't need to be perfect cylinders, but try to keep them uniform so your cookies bake evenly. Wrap each log tightly in plastic wrap, twisting the ends like a candy wrapper.

5. 5

   Chill until firm

   Refrigerate the wrapped logs for at least 1 hour, or until completely firm throughout. Press the center of a log with your finger. If it yields, it needs more time. Properly chilled dough slices cleanly without squashing. You can refrigerate overnight or freeze for up to 2 months.

   Roll the logs a quarter turn every 15 minutes during the first hour of chilling. This prevents the bottom from flattening into an oblong shape.
6. 6

   Slice and arrange

   Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap the chilled logs and use a sharp knife to slice them into rounds approximately 1/3-inch thick. Arrange the rounds on the prepared sheets, leaving about 1 inch between each cookie. They spread only slightly.

7. 7

   Bake until fragrant

   Bake for 14 to 18 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. The cookies are done when the edges turn golden brown and the centers look matte and set, no longer shiny. They'll feel slightly soft when warm but will crisp as they cool. The kitchen should smell like a Parisian café had a love affair with a Scottish bakery.

8. 8

   Cool completely

   Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. This takes at least 30 minutes. Do not rush this step. Warm cookies and melted chocolate create a mess that looks amateur. The cookies should feel cool to the touch before you consider the chocolate.

9. 9

   Melt the chocolate

   Place the chopped chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until the chocolate is smooth and glossy. This usually takes 90 seconds total. Alternatively, melt over a double boiler, stirring constantly. The chocolate should flow like silk from your spatula.

   The coconut oil keeps the chocolate from cracking when it sets and gives it a beautiful sheen. If you're allergic to coconut, vegetable shortening works identically.
10. 10

    Dip the cookies

    Line a baking sheet with fresh parchment paper. Hold each cookie by its edge and dip half into the melted chocolate, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl. Place the dipped cookie on the prepared sheet. While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle a few flakes of sea salt onto the chocolate portion. The salt is not optional. It makes these cookies.

11. 11

    Set the chocolate

    Allow the chocolate to set at room temperature for about 1 hour, or speed the process by refrigerating for 15 minutes. The chocolate should be completely firm and snap cleanly when you break a cookie in half. Store in an airtight container at room temperature, layered between sheets of parchment paper.

Chef Tips

• •Use real instant espresso powder, not instant coffee granules. Espresso powder dissolves completely and delivers concentrated flavor. Medaglia d'Oro is reliable and available in most supermarkets.
• •The quality of your chocolate matters enormously here. Look for bittersweet chocolate in the 60 to 70 percent cacao range. Ghirardelli, Guittard, or Valrhona all work beautifully. Avoid anything called 'chocolate chips' as they contain stabilizers that prevent proper melting.
• •These cookies ship exceptionally well. Layer them in a tin between sheets of wax paper and they'll survive three days in transit. I've sent them to New York, Chicago, and San Francisco without a single casualty.
• •For a gift box presentation, stand the cookies upright in rows so the chocolate dip is visible. Nestle a few whole espresso beans around them for visual impact and aromatic suggestion.

Advance Preparation

• •Unbaked dough logs can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for 2 months. Slice and bake directly from frozen, adding 2 minutes to the baking time.
• •Baked, undipped cookies keep in an airtight container for 1 week. Dip them the day before serving for best texture.
• •Fully finished cookies store at room temperature for up to 1 week if kept in a cool location. In warm weather, refrigerate to prevent the chocolate from blooming.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 cookie (about 29g)