Espresso Nut Shortbread with White Chocolate Ganache
In my family, sugar cookies are king during the holiday season. Or should I say queen--my grandmother’s pale cookies, just barely browned on the bottom and topped with flawless royal icing, were staples in our house. I’m all for tradition, but my culinary experience has taught me that a little experimentation never hurts. So this year, I’ll be making room on my table for these espresso nut shortbreads, too. They’re the perfect balance of nutty and sweet, rustic and luxurious. The toasted hazelnuts and bitter espresso will hit your taste buds first, closely followed by a rich wave of white chocolate. You might even find they’re the ideal complement to a classic sugar cookie.
Ingredients
1 ½ Tbsp instant espresso powder
8 oz unsalted butter, at room temperature
⅔ cup sugar
½ cup almond flour
½ cup local hazelnuts, toasted and finely ground
1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
8 oz white chocolate, chopped
¼ cup heavy cream
Directions
Dissolve the espresso powder in 1 teaspoon of hot water.
Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy.
Add the espresso mixture and combine.
Mix in the almond flour and ground hazelnuts.
Add the flour and stir until the dough just comes together. Finish kneading in any unincorporated crumbs by hand.
Chill for 30 minutes.
Roll the dough out to about ¼-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface, and use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Bake on a lined baking sheet at 325°F for 20 minutes, or until the cookies are set and just barely browned along the edges.
Meanwhile, to prepare the ganache, combine the cream and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Gently stir the mixture until the texture is smooth and shiny. Let cool at room temperature until the ganache is the stiffness of peanut butter.
Once cookies have fully cooled, scoop the ganache into a piping bag with a small star tip and decorate.
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