Salted Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies
The best combination of shortbread and cookies in one bite. Alison Roman's salted chocolate chip shortbread cookie are the ultimate cookie recipe.
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Ingredients
- 255 gms Salted Butter, cold (room temperature if you're using a handheld mixer), cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 1/4 cup Light brown sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 2.5 cups Plain flour (maida)
- 170 gms semi-sweet or bittersweet dark chocolate, chopped (not too fine; you want chunks, not little shards)
- 1 large egg beaten
- Demerara sugar, for rolling
- Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer, beat the butter, both sugars and vanilla on medium-high till it’s super light and fluffy (3 to 5 minutes for a stand mixer; 6 to 8 for a hand mixer).
- Using a spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl and, with the mixer on low, slowly add the flour. Mix well.
- Add the chocolate chunks, and mix just to blend. If necessary, knead the dough with your hands to make sure the flour is totally incorporated. At this point, the dough should be smooth and feel like Play-Doh with no pockets of flour.
- Divide the dough in half, placing each half on a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold the plastic over so that it covers the dough to protect your hands from getting all sticky. Using your hands, form the dough into a log shape; rolling it on the counter will help you smooth it out, but don’t worry about getting it totally perfect. (Don't be afraid to make them compact. Shortbread is supposed to be dense. That's part of why it's so good.) You can also do this using parchment paper, if you prefer, but plastic wrap is easier when it comes to shaping the log. Each half should form a 6-inch log, 2 to 2¼ inches in diameter. Chill until totally firm, about 2 hours.
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush the outside of the logs with the beaten egg and roll them in the demerara sugar (this is for those really delicious, crisp edges).
- Using a serrated knife, carefully slice each log into ½-inch-thick rounds (if you hit a chocolate chunk, slowly saw back and forth through the chocolate). If the cookies break or fall apart, just press them back together — the dough is very forgiving. Place them on the prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart (they won’t spread much). Sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake until the edges are just beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before eating them all.
Notes
The cookie dough can be made ahead and stored, tightly wrapped in plastic, up to 1 week in the refrigerator, or 1 month in the freezer. Cookies can be baked and stored in plastic wrap or an airtight container for 5 days.
My notes:
I used handheld mixer, hence the butter was at room temp.
I used Bakers brand bittersweet chocolate.
After adding chocolate, I used a rubber spatula instead of beater to mix the dough.
I added flour in two batches.
Make sure the dough is rolled in round shape before keeping in fridge, otherwise difficult to shape it once it's refrigerated.
Just coat the eggs, don’t overdo it, otherwise sugar tend to disappear.
Be very careful while slicing.
Baked at 175 C, for 12 mins and switched off the oven, kept for 2 more mins. Rotate the pan, if required.
Though the cookies may appear very soft, it tends to harden as it rests. Please dont be tempted to increase the baking time.
Got around 30-34 cookies.
