Recipe: Chocolate Dipped Shortbread

Cooks : CircoTherm® 170°C for 10-12 Minutes

Prep 20 mins plus chilling Time

Ingredients

• 100g unsalted butter softened
• 40g golden caster sugar
• 100g plain flour
• 45g rice flour
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp icing sugar
• 150g milk chocolate, broken into chunks
• 2 tbsps chopped roasted hazelnuts
• *Allergens highlighted in bold

Line two baking trays with baking parchment or silicone mats.

Using a stand mixer, mix the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the two flours and salt, and mix again until just incorporated (don't over-mix as it will make your cookies tough).

Form the dough into a ball and place it onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out to approx. ½ cm thick. The dough is quite delicate and will try to crumble in places. Just push it back together if it crumbles. Chill for 20 minutes.

Using a round, 6 ½ cm diameter cookie cutter, cut circles out of the dough. Dip the cookie cutter in flour first to prevent it sticking to the dough. You can re-roll the dough as necessary but try not to re-roll more than a few times as this will result in tough cookies. Place the cookies on the two prepared baking trays. You should get about 12 cookies.

Cover each of the trays with clingfilm and place in the fridge for at least 30 mins (up to overnight). The chilling time helps to develop the flavour of the shortbread and will ensure a 'sharper' shape.

When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to CircoTherm® 170°C.

Take the shortbread out of the fridge and take off the clingfilm. Sift the icing sugar over the cookies, and cook in the oven for 10-12 minutes, until the edges start to turn slightly golden.

Take out of the oven and leave to cool for 5 minutes, then remove from the tray with a palette knife and place on cooling rack to cool completely.

Place the chocolate into a saucepan and place on the hob on induction setting 2. Stir occasionally until the chocolate has melted.

Dip the shortbread cookies in the melted chocolate – so they’re half covered – allowing excess chocolate to drip off. Then transfer to a wire rack. Repeat with the rest of the cookies.

Sprinkle on the chopped hazelnuts and serve.