Cooking Lessons #967: Chocolate Peppermint Shortbread

…from the Perspectives’ Holiday Kitchen

How you doin’?  Nothing says year-end holidays like peppermint. Now I happen to know that old Santa has a soft spot in his heart for shortbread cookies. Santa and I have something in common. The best shortbread I ever tasted was at Culloden House Hotel in Inverness, Scotland.
 
Overall, this was an experience stay as we were the last guests of the season. I asked our host, Mr. Story, for the recipe which he promptly shared with me. It is so good and buttery I didn’t initially think that anything could make I better, but then I thought “chocolate!” and then I thought “peppermint!” This is the perfect cookie to leave for Santa with a tall glass of cold milk or a mug of hot cocoa.
 
So, here’s what I did… I took Mr. Story’s perfect recipe and made it even more perfect by adding cocoa, chocolate and peppermint candy. I think this just might land me on Santa’s “nice” list.
 
Prep time:  25 minutes
Chill time:  60 minutes
Bake time:  10 to 12 minutes
Cool time:  20 minutes
Decorating time:  20 minutes
Yield:  24 cookies
 
Ingredients 
1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more as needed
1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
 
Directions

1. Sift the cocoa powder and flour into a small bowl using a sifter or a fine-mesh sieve. Set aside.
2. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or handheld electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar on low speed until the sugar is fully combined. Then, increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy and creamy, about 3 minutes.
3. On low speed, add the peppermint extract and salt and mix just until combined.
4. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until just combined, about 1 minute, stopping the mixer once or twice to scrape down the sides and bottom with a rubber spatula. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky. If the dough feels dry and crumbly, you can add softened butter 1 teaspoon at a time until it comes together.
5. Divide the dough in half. Place one portion in the center of a large piece of plastic wrap on your kitchen counter.
6. Fold the plastic over to cover the dough. Using your hands, form the dough into a tight log shape, rolling it on the counter to smooth it out.
7. It doesn’t have to be perfect! The log should be about 2 inches in diameter and 4 to 5 inches long. Repeat with the other portion.
8. Refrigerate the cookie logs for about 1 hour or until firm.
9. Just before the cookies have finished chilling, arrange two racks in the middle and bottom third of the oven and preheat it to 350⁰ F.
10. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
11. Use a chef’s knife to slice the log into 1/4-inch thick circles. Evenly arrange them on both baking sheets leaving at least 1 inch between the cookies to allow for spreading.
12. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes or until the cookies are set, turning and rotating the pans between racks halfway through.
13. The cookies will turn from glossy and wet to matte. They will feel slightly soft out of the oven but should barely make an indent when gently tapped them with your fingers. If they look shiny or feel too soft, continue baking until firmed up, about 2 minutes. 
14. Let cookies cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes. Then, transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
15. Set the parchment paper-lined baking sheets aside. You will use them again when decorating the cookies.
16. Crush the peppermint candies into small pieces using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Alternatively, place the peppermint candies in a double-bagged zip top bag and seal. With a mallet or rolling pin, crush them until fine in texture. You’re looking for pieces that are 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch for a nice visual look and textural contrast. Transfer the crushed candy to a small plate.
17. In a small microwave-safe bowl, add the chocolate chips. Microwave for 30 seconds on full power, then stir. Repeat, heating and stirring in 15-second intervals until the chocolate melts into a smooth, homogenous texture.
18. Dip each cooled cookie halfway into the melted chocolate. Sprinkle the crushed peppermint candy over the chocolate on the top side of the cookie. Shake off any excess candy back onto the peppermint plate to reuse.
19. Place the decorated cookies on the parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
20. Allow the chocolate to fully set before serving.

ChefSecret:  You can use semi-sweet or milk chocolate for dipping. You can also roll out the dough discs and cut into star shapes and bake them. 

Quip of the Day:  Q. How does Santa keep from getting sick around the holidays?  A. He uses hand Santa-tizer.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

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                                                                               ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024

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