Chocolate Shortbread Cookie with Ancho Chile Powder
Chocolate Shortbread with a Chile bite and Dulce de Leche frosting
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer with paddle
- 1 cookie tray
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 teas. fine sea salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 teas. vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder (Hershey's dark is the best, if you can find it)
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teas. ancho chile powder
- 1 can dulce de leche
- 40 pecans or pecan pieces, slightly toasted
Instructions
- Beat the butter in your stand mixer on medium for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides Add the sugar and salt and beat for 3 more minutes on medium, scraping down the sides every minute or so, until light and fluffy.
- With mixer on low, add the egg yolk and vanilla, mix for 1 minute. Slowly add the cocoa powder and then the flour, mixing until you have dough.
- Divide the dough into 2 balls. Roll them out into 2 logs about 2 inches around and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm — at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut rounds of dough about 1/4 inch wide and place 1/2 apart. Bake for 7 minutes, rotate the pan, bake for 7 minutes more. Let them cool for 5 minutes before you move them. Bake one sheet at a time. While cookies are baking, place pecans on a tray and toast in the oven for 5 minutes, set aside to use on top.
- When cookies have cooled completely, frost the tops with dulce de leche. Place a pecan on top of each one. Cookies will keep for several days in a covered container.
Notes
Substitute one teaspoon of cinnamon for the chile powder, and increase the vanilla to one teaspoon, for another Mexican style cookie!