Nib-Flecked Chocolate Shortbread

We love shortbread. I love that it's shippable to friend and family far away. And it's so easy - and flexible - to make. The kids who were in my Spice it Up! class still talk about the Sage Shortbread; I sent Matcha-Black Sesame Shortbread to my #FBCookieSwap recipients in 2013; but I think my favorite has been the Salted Fennel Pollen Shortbread.

I realized that I have never made a chocolate shortbread. I had to fix that after our Chocolate Tour in The City yesterday afternoon. I added in raw cacao nibs and some instant espresso for even more decadence.

Ingredients

10 T butter
1/2 C organic granulated sugar + some for rolling
2 t pure chocolate extract
1 T honey
1 T instant espresso powder
2 T raw cacao nibs
1 egg, beaten
1-1/2 C white whole wheat flour
1/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder

Procedure

Beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Stir in honey and espresso powder until well combined. Beat in the egg, then carefully fold in the flour, cocoa powder, and nibs.

Roll the dough into a long cylinder. Flatten the cylinder into a circular or rectangular shape, pressing sugar into the edges. Put the dough in plastic wrap and chill for about an hour, until the dough is firm enough to slice. In the last 15 minutes of the dough chilling, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Using a sharp knife, cut the dough widthwise into 1/4" slices and place, slightly apart, on the baking sheets. Sprinkle with more sugar, if desired, and bake for 16-18 minutes until slightly raised.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

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