Chocolate Shortbread Olé

Chocolate Shortbread Olé
Originally uploaded by watchjennybake.

It has snowed twice in the last week, and is bitterly cold today. This is not that common where I live in South Carolina. Cold weather makes me want to create the opposite - something warm, or even spicy.

I have had some of the Nestle Chocolatier chocolate bars in my cupboard since my plan to make Seven Layer Bars for Christmas again this year evaporated. Ever since then, the chocolate has been calling to me.

"Eat me!" it says. "You don't need to put me in a recipe."

Lately, I swear, they have been screaming. So I took revenge and went on the hunt for a recipe to use up the chocolate, something I could share easily. I found this recipe for Chocolate Shortbread Olé on the Nestle Chocolatier site, where every recipe I have tried has been superb. Last February I made their Decadent Chocolate Satin Pie as well as the Chocolate Mayan Bundt Cake.

Chocolate Shortbread Olé
Ingredients:

8 oz. NESTLÉ CHOCOLATIER™ 53% Cacao Dark Chocolate Baking Bar(s), broken into small pieces
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup pecans, toasted, chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325º F.

Microwave small chocolate pieces in small, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on high (100%) power for 45 seconds; stir. If pieces retain some of their original shape, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until melted. Cool to room temperature.

Combine flour, cinnamon and cayenne in medium bowl. Beat brown sugar and butter in large mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in melted chocolate. Stir in flour mixture until blended. Stir in pecans.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls; place 2-inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten with bottom of glass dipped in sugar.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are set. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Jenny's notes: The dough was very dry and crumbly as made, but came together pretty well with my hands. Next time I would add a little less flour. The cayenne pepper really adds a kick, and is a wonderful addition here.

I made a few small changes - the chocolate I had was 4 oz. of bittersweet and 4 oz. of semisweet, so I substituted that for the dark chocolate. I also neither had pecans nor did I think that sounded like the best nut to use - I had almonds that I didn't want to have to throw away, so I toasted them up on the stove.

Olé!

Categories: Almond, Chocolate, Cookies, Shortbread