(cliccate qui per la versione italiana)
Happy Monday everyone!
Here’s another first time for me: just like with the chestnut flour crêpes (see previous post), I love shortbread cookies but I’d never tried making them until a few months ago (I have another shortbread cookie recipe on the blog but actually these chestnut ones were the very first I made!!) Obviously without butter because I can’t stand the taste. What did I put inside? A chestnut and chocolate spread!! Can’t beat this. Nothing much to add about these little beauties, except: make them!! Of course you can use any filling you like.
SHORTBREAD COOKIES FILLED WITH A CHESTNUT AND CHOCOLATE SPREAD {vegan}
by Marta Giaccone
Recipe
about 15 cookies
prep time: 30 mins, cooking time: 15 mins, total time: 45 mins + 30 mins rest time
Cookie dough
¾ cup / 125 gr flour of choice
1 tbsp / 4gr baking powder
1/3 cup / 60 gr sugar (I used coconut)
pinch salt
pinch vanilla seeds/extract/paste
slightly less than 3 tbsp / 40 ml light vegetable oil
2 tbsp / 30 ml plant-based milk or water
Method
- In a large bowl sift flour and baking powder, add salt, sugar and vanilla (if using extract/paste, add to liquid ingredients) and mix.
- In another bowl mix together the liquid ingredients, then pour over the dry ones and mix to incorporate. Now the dough will probably be quite crumbly, that’s great! If it’s slightly more velvety, that’s great as well. I’ve had both and they worked perfectly.
- Transfer dough to a floured work surface and knead until soft, just a minute. Form into a ball, wrap in plastic and let rest in the fridge for 30 mins or more. You can make the filling in the meantime.
Chestnut and chocolate spread
40 gr melted chocolate (I used 85% dark)
½ cup / 140 gr of my chestnut spread (see recipe here)
1 tsp sugar (I used coconut)
Method
- Melt chocolate over a double boiler, then add chestnut spread and sugar and mix with a fork to combine. Optional: transfer spread into a sealed glass/plastic container and put into the fridge for a few minutes (or longer) to help it firm up.
- When 30 or more minutes have passed, transfer the dough back onto the floured work surface and roll it out between two sheets of parchment paper to about 3mm thick.
- Preheat oven to 180°C/375°F.
- With a cookie cutter or glass cut out about 30 discs (my cutter was small/medium).
- Spoon about 1 tsp or less of spread in the center of half of the discs (count them well!), then place another disc on top and very carefully roughly press down the sides.
- Bake for 15 minutes (my oven is old, powerful and static so I always put them on the top rack or else they’ll burn quickly). The cookies are ready when the bottom starts browning (lift one and check after about 13 minutes!). The top will still be quite soft and that’s ok, it will firm up after cooling. Let cool completely and enjoy! Store in an airtight container for a few days.
