Makes 24 triangles
Chopping your own bittersweet chocolate really improves any confection made with it. Here, it's added to shortbread dough. Use mini chocolate chips if you're pressed for time. To make perfect rounds, draw circles with a pencil onto parchment paper, turn the paper over, and press the dough into the circles.
1 | cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature |
1 | cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted |
1 | teaspoon vanilla extract |
2 | cups flour |
¼ | teaspoon salt |
4 | ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped, or mini chocolate chips |
Granulated sugar (for sprinkling) |
1. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Use a pie pan or plate and a pencil to draw three 6-inch rounds on the papers. Turn the papers over.
2. In an electric mixer, with the paddle attachment, if you have one, or the whisk, beat the butter for 1 minute or until smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar and beat until the mixture is creamy. Beat in the vanilla. Add the flour and salt. Continue beating, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until the mixture is just smooth. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand. With a rubber spatula, stir in the chopped chocolate.
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3. Set one-third of the dough in the center of each round. With the heel of your hand dipped repeatedly in granulated sugar, press the dough evenly to fill the circles. Sprinkle generously with more granulated sugar. Flute the edges all around with your fingers or press them with the tines of a fork. Prick the dough well all over.
4. With a large straight-edged knife, score the rounds evenly in quarters. Cut each quarter in half to make 8 triangles (you should have 24 pieces). Refrigerate the sheets for 15 minutes.
5. Set the oven at 350 degrees.
6. Bake the rounds for 22 to 25 minutes or until they are pale golden, turning the sheets from back to front halfway through baking.
7. Slide the rounds on their parchment papers onto wire racks and let them sit for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Carefully transfer the rounds on their papers to a board. Use a straight-bladed long knife to cut the rounds along the scored lines. (Sprinkle the knife with granulated sugar if it sticks to the triangles.) Set the triangles on a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.