Pecan Chocolate Shortbread

It’s worth it to have to lightly toast until fragrant, then cool slightly, and then process the little pecan bits to smithereens… all in the quest for the perfect chocolatey-pecanny shortbread.

If that description made these cookies seem arduous to make, that wasn’t my intention (because in the grand scheme of things, they are really quite easy to make- especially when compared to, oh, say, the official pain in the ass known as Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread, which really shouldn’t get a bad rap- but the mere introduction of yeast into a recipe means It Will Take Time). Nope- these cookies are pretty easy, and the step to mulchify the toasted pecans is only mildly annoying. (And it’s probably just a personal thing, because I have a strange aversion to using my food processor sometimes. I have to lug it out of the pantry, and then the five pieces hog precious space in the dishwasher. These are big problems in life, as you can understand.)

I have to issue the Shortbread Warning: it’s just not done until it’s done. Sometimes I get skittish and take out of the oven too early, because the consummate brownie baker in me lives by the “never over bake” code… but shortbread likes to take its time. It’s deceptive, because it will sort of start to smell like it’s done- and a dark-colored shortbread is brutal because you can’t see if it’s golden or toasting or on the verge of burning and having to throw out. But the smell can be your guide- follow the time listed in the recipe below, and wait for the unmistakeable smell of “oh, yes, that’s what I was waiting for”- the cookies will be crispy and buttery when they’re done just so, not sandy and squishy. So lug out the processor and process the pecans, pronto. I think you’ll really like the taste of these. And I know you’ll love the smell.

Adapted from Food & Wine’s recipe…

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup pecans, lightly toasted & then finely ground

1/4 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 stick unsalted butter, cold & cut into cubes

1 egg yolk

3/4 cup mini bittersweet chocolate chips (or chocolate chunks/bits cut from a block)
1. Preheat oven to 350° and butter a springform pan with a removable bottom; set aside.
2. On a baking sheet, spread pecans in a single layer and toast in hot oven for about 6 – 8 minutes, checking regularly to prevent burning. (Pecans should smell nutty and look lightly toasted.) Remove from oven and allow to cool, then process in food processor until well blended.
3. Add flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt to pecans in food processor, processing until the mixture looks sandy and fine. Pulse the butter in until coarse crumbs form (the size of peas), then add egg yolk and pulse until just incorporated. Add chocolate chips/chunks and pulse until incorporated into dough.
4. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan (gently pressing to evenly distribute the dough) and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
5. Using the blunt edge of a knife, score the surface of the dough into wedges (to make it easier to cut after baking). Bake for about 28 – 30 minutes, until the shortbread is browned around the edges. While the cookie is still warm, cut into wedges with a serrated knife. Store in an airtight container for a few days. Enjoy!
Tips:
- The pecan step: as alluded, it’s a bit annoying. You can buy pecan flour, but it just won’t be toasted. (Hm- you could toast it lightly in a skillet on medium heat, I guess?) Assuming you will be using real pecans to start (instead of the store-bought pecan flour- I’m not insinuating that they sell fake pecans), make sure your measuring cup has a heaping 1/2 cup of pecans, so that you essentially end up with 1/2 cup of pecan flour.
- Cool the pecans! Warning: if you toast the pecans, add to food processor while hot, and then proceed with the recipe, the butter will so hate you when it gets added to the hot ingredients. It will melt, and bad things will happen. (You know how you have to chill shortbread before baking? It’s because it’s finicky and wants to be cold at every step of the process, until it hits the 350° oven and then lets its butter molecule things explode into something great.) SO- let the pecans chill down BEFORE adding to the food processor.
- No food processor? I’m so, so sorry. Just use pecan flour instead (or smash your pecans in a ziploc bag until pulverized into a flour of its own), and cut the butter in with a pastry blade thing. Knead the dough a bit before pressing into the pan, too.
- What kind of chocolate? I think bittersweet is the sophisticated choice here, but semi-sweet would also rock. If you’re the milk chocolate sort of type, then go to town on it.
- Freeze-friendly? Yes, wonderfully so. I sometimes freeze the uncooked dough, then thaw in the fridge before popping into the oven to bake, by the way. (If you can bake these with company over, they’ll go nuts for the smell too. Ha! Get it? Nuts?)
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December 19th, 2012 | More Sweets Please | No Comments | Tags: Chocolate, Cookies, Nuts