Dark Chocolate Shortbread

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baked goods, biscuit, breakfast, brunch, chocolate, cocoa, cookie, dark chocolate, dessert, food, foodie, pie crust, postaday2011, recipe, shortbread, snack, sweet, tea, treat

The other day I made classic shortbread that is also really great dipped in dark chocolate. Last night, I modified my recipe and made chocolate shortbread, which would be really great dipped in white mint chocolate. These make a tasty after work snack or a brunch treat.

Dark Chocolate Shortbread

Chocolate Shortbread Ingredients:
2 c. flour, 1 1/4 c. butter softened, 1 c. sugar, 1 tsp. almond extract, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 1/2 c. dark cocoa baking powder, 1/2 tsp. fresh ground sea salt, extra sugar for sprinkling

Chocolate Shortbread Directions:
Preheat oven to 300°F. Cream together butter, sugar and extract. In separate bowl combine flour, cocoa and salt. Stir flour into butter mixture 1/4 cup at a time. Chill dough for about an hour (it’ll help the flavors richer and make the dough more manageable). Press dough into pie dish or roll out on floured surface and use cookie cutters. Use prongs on fork to make designs on shortbread. Sprinkle with sugar before baking. Depending on thickness, bake for about 20 minutes. It’s hard to tell when it’s done due to the dark color of the dough. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack. If you used a pie tin, cut shortbread into fantails before cooling. Serve at room temperature with hot tea or coffee.

I have a few of these tucked aside, to help me get through a busy weekend…
What does this weekend have in store for you?

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Classic Shortbread

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almond shortbread, bake sale, baked goods, chocolate, classic, cookies, dark chocolate, dessert, food, foodie, postaday2011, recipe, shortbread, snack, sweets

Unfortunately my sister didn’t have a copy of her shortbread recipe with her when she was on this side of the pond. Of course she used a real Scottish recipe. I played with a mixture of ingredients until I had a dough that I liked, similar to my sugar cookie, but much less sugar. No egg in the dough, so it’s safe to sample uncooked bits. This is what I came up with…

Shortbread & Tea

Shortbread Ingredients:
2 c. flour, 1 c. butter softened, 3/4 c. sugar, 1 tsp. almond extract, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp. fresh ground sea salt, finely chopped dark chocolate (optional for chocolate dipped)

Shortbread Directions:
Preheat oven to 300°F. Cream together butter, sugar and extract. In separate bowl combine flour and salt. Stir flour into butter mixture 1/4 cup at a time. Chill dough for about an hour (it’ll help the flavors richer and make the dough more manageable). Press dough into pie dish or roll out on floured surface and use cookie cutters. Use prongs on fork to make designs on shortbread. Depending on thickness, bake for about 30 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack. If you used a pie tin, cut shortbread into fantails before cooling. Serve at room temperature with hot tea.

For Chocolate Dipped Shortbread:
On the top of a double boiled, melt chocolate. Dip edges or bottoms of shortbread in chocolate and place on wax paper. Chill in fridge to harden chocolate. Remove shortbread from fridge and store in an airtight container.

*If you use salted butter, you can omit or cut back the sea salt.

*If you like your shortbread sweeter, add 1/8-1/4 c. more of sugar.
*As a gift or favor you can wrap a bunch of shortbread in a mug, with a box of tea bags.

Unfortunately my embosser in still packed in some unknown box, or I would have used it embellish my shortbread before baking. I used individual tart tins to make a smaller shortbread, which I cut in wedges to create fantails.

As the aroma of fresh-baked shortbread lingers through my home, I sit down for a moment to nibble a few shortbread fantails and sip on my earl grey tea. I just hope my sister approves my recipe.

What do you like to munch on with your tea?

(Hot) Dark Chocolate Pudding

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almond, baked goods, baked pudding, cake, chocolate, chocolate almond, chocolate lava cake, chocolate pudding, chocolate recipe, dark chocolate, dark chocolate pudding, dessert, dessert recipes, dessert table, hot pudding, pudding, recipe, romantic dessert, self-saucing pudding, sweets, sweets table

I’ve been looking for a good chocolate pudding recipe. Not the North American idea of pudding, I mean a proper baked pudding that’s more like a chocolate lava cake. I found a recipe last December and gave it a try, but it just wasn’t what I was expected.

I gave in to today’s chocolate cravings and to finally vamp up the recipe to fulfill my chocolate and baking desires…

Dark Chocolate Pudding

Chocolate Pudding Ingredients:
1 c. flour, 3/4 c. sugar, 2 Tbsp. Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder, 2 Tbsp. baking powder, 1/8 tsp. salt, 1 Tbsp. almond extract, 1/2 c. milk, 2 Tbsp. melted butter (or vegetable oil)

Chocolate Sauce Ingredients:
1 3/4 c. hot water, 3/4 c. light brown sugar (packed), 2 Tbs. dark brown sugar (packed), 3 Tbsp. Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder,  2 tsp. flavoring of your choice

*I used raspberry flavoring, but think mint, orange, vanilla, strawberry…

Chocolate Pudding Directions:
Preheat Oven to 350°F. Spray 4 glass ramekins with cooking spray  and set on a baking sheet. Mix together dry ingredients. Add extract, milk and melted butter and stir well (it so be the consistency of brownie batter). Divide mixture into ramekins.

Chocolate Sauce Directions:
Dissolve sugar in hot water. Add cocoa powder and stir well. Pour sauce over each ramekin. Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool before eating, serve warm.

*Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar, crème fraîche, raspberry/blackberry drizzle, a few berries, or any combination!

WARNING!: You will burn your tongue and mouth if you cannot resist the urge to dig into these right out of the oven!

Refrigerate any uneaten pudding ramekin, microwave when ready to enjoy!

Mmmm… Tall glass of milk anyone???

What’s your favorite chocolate dessert?