Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread Cookies

Slice-and-bake shortbread bakes pale gold and crisp, then gets dipped in melted dark chocolate and sprinkled with flaky sea salt. The cookies hold their shape well and taste richest after the chocolate sets.

By Julienne

Cook time: 18 minutes

Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 180 g all-purpose flour sifted
• 1 g fine salt divided
• 170 g unsalted butter softened
• 60 g powdered sugar sifted
• 5 ml vanilla extract
• 1 g fine salt divided
• 150 g dark chocolate chopped
• 10 g coconut oil
• 2 g flaky sea salt for finishing

Instructions

1. In a bowl, mix the flour and fine salt. Set aside 1 g of the salt for finishing if you want a slightly saltier edge; the remaining 1 g goes into the dough. The dry mixture looks evenly combined and lump-free.
2. Cream the softened butter and powdered sugar until smooth and slightly fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract. The mixture looks pale, smooth, and spreadable.
3. Add the dry ingredients and the remaining 1 g fine salt, then mix just until the dough comes together with no dry flour pockets. A cohesive dough forms and the bowl is mostly clean.
4. Shape the dough into a log about 5 cm in diameter, wrap it, and chill until firm enough to slice cleanly, about 30 minutes. The log feels firm and does not flatten when pressed.
5. Heat the oven to 175°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the chilled dough into 12 cookies and arrange them with a little space between each. The rounds are evenly spaced and ready to bake.
6. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to turn pale golden. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack and cool completely. The cookies are set, dry on the surface, and lightly golden at the edges.
7. Melt the dark chocolate with the coconut oil in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan with a small amount of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Keep the bowl dry and the water below the bowl. The chocolate is glossy and fluid with no unmelted pieces.
8. Dip half of each cooled cookie into the chocolate, let excess drip off, and place on parchment. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt while the chocolate is still wet, using the full finishing amount if desired. The chocolate is set enough to hold the salt and the dipped edges look neat.