I have served a version of these at many Supper Clubs and Classes over the years as the perfect buttery crunch dessert accessory or goody bag treat. They are basically the ideal snack biscuit and gift – light, buttery and delicate.
The dough here requires a little resting time to firm up before baking to ensure these perfectly crispy edged tender rounds hold their shape. However, the resting time is also the secret to the complexity of flavour in these delicate, crisp but melty and not too sweet moorish shortbread treats.
So while these might be the least labour intensive biscuits I make, they don’t tick the instant gratification box of mix, bake, eat. In fact, I think they are best the day after they are made, falling into the very useful “do ahead” treat category of baking and gifting.
You can easily make double or triple of these and freeze the logs of dough, and just slice and bake as you need them.
I often add an egg yolk to the mixture as it helps to hold their shape, but it is only an option. Without the egg the cookies will spread a little more and be slightly crumblier.
These cookies are a flavour variation of these Buckwheat Cacao Nib Cookies
Feel free to replace the almonds with pistachios, pecans or another nut of choice, or simply make them triple chocolate by adding white or milk chocolate into the mix.
Double Chocolate almond Shortbread
- 100g (3.5 oz) almonds (or another nut of choice)
- 200g (1 2/3 cups) plain flour
- 50g (1/2 cup) best quality cocoa powder
- pinch of salt (if using unsalted butter)
- 200g (7oz) softened room temperature butter (preferably salted)
- 100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
- 50g (1/4 cup) soft brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg yolk
- 100g (3.5 oz) dark chocolate chunks, roughly chopped
- Preheat oven to 180C.
- Place almonds on a baking tray and toast for 10 minutes until fragrant.
- Allow to cool and roughly chop.
- In a medium sized bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder and salt (if using) and set aside
- In an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat the butter, the sugar and salt (if using) together until smooth and creamy. Stop before it gets fluffy. Add the egg yolk if using and the vanilla and beat to incorporate Add the vanilla and egg yolk and continue to mix for another 30 seconds until combined.
- Add the flour (do not overmix) and stir through the chopped almonds and chocolate.
- Do not worry, the dough will be soft.
- Lay a large piece of parchment paper on your work surface and tip the cookie dough into the centre. Press into a log shape and roll in the parchment, twisting each to close. The log should be approximately 30cm x 7cm. The wider the log the larger the cookie.
- Place in the fridge and allow to rest for a minimum of 4 hours (and upto 2 days).
- When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 180C (350F).
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- With a sharp knife cut the dough into rounds, and place spaced apart on the prepared sheets. Each log should give you 10-12 cookies.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes until the edges are slightly golden and just beginning to colour.
- Cool on baking sheets on a rack, and store in an airtight container for at least 1 week if they last that long!
Have you made this dish?
Let me know what you think, share your efforts and any tweaks you made to the recipe on Instagram, don’t forget to tag #BuildingFeasts or email me on info@buildingfeasts.com
