Chocolate and chili shortbread
Chocolate and chili shortbread. A real treat for all chocolate lovers with a hint of a heat. These cookies are fantastic, they are vegetarian and eggless. If you are looking for something unique to bake this Christmas or any other occasion these shortbread cookies are a great choice.
How to make chocolate and chili shortbread
Everybody is saying that making a good shortbread is easy. I disagree with this statement. Making a good shortbread may seem easy but actually it requires certain knowledge and understanding of 3 base ingredients.
Many recipes are saying just mix butter with sugar and then add flour and bake. Well, please read the below tips. They will help you to avoid all the issues while making a great shortbread.
TIPS:
- BUTTER: In order to make the best shortbread you need to use the best butter. Not margarine, or any other butter substitute. Real butter at its best. I used salted butter in this recipe. If you can not find salted butter, you can use unsalted but add 1/4 tsp of table salt. The buttery indulgent taste comes from real butter, this is it.
- SUGAR: Traditional Scottish shortbread is made with standard white granulated sugar. I also used this type of sugar in this recipe. It works like a charm and is easily available everywhere. Using white granulated sugar makes shortbread airy and light but not powdery.
- FLOUR: As simple as it may be in order to make a good shortbread, you need to use a soft flour. If you did not know flour can be soft, hard or medium.
- Hard flour has a high protein content and has a good ability to form gluten. It is perfect to make bread.
- Soft flour has a low protein content and lower ability to create strong gluten. This flour is also called pastry flour or cake flour. It makes baked goods more flaky than doughy. For any shortbread recipe soft flour is the best option.
- Medium flour, also called AP flour - it is a mix of soft and hard flour and is the most commonly available in supermarkets.
Fort his recipe, apart from the 3 standard shortbread ingredients I have also used :
4. COCOA : use good quality dark cocoa for the best results.
5. CHILI: I used chili flakes. I have not tested this recipe with chili powder, so I am not sure how this affect the flavour.
6.WHITE CHOCOLATE: use good quality white chocolate and do not overheat it while melting.
HANDLING THE DOUGH - to make shortbread dough, I always use my hands. I rub butter and sugar together until combined, for about 8 minutes. Next I add flour, cocoa and chili flakes and gently rub it together until just combined, making sure that cocoa is distributed evenly. The whole secret is not to overwork the dough. Overworked dough means cakey and tough shortbread due to formation of gluten. We do not want it.
THICKESS AND SHAPING: I have divided the dough into 35g-40g portions and used small tartlet moulds. I got 13 cookies. My shortbreads were quite flat but this is what I wanted. You can shape them any way you wish. I have not tried making cut outs so I am not sure if they will hold its shape.
What does chocolate and chili shortbread taste like?
If you have not tired mixing chili and chocolate flavour, this is the time. It is such a great combination. Sweet and earthy cocoa aroma mixed with spicy chili flakes. The duo may sound weird but works fantastic together. The texture of shortbread is fantastic, crumbly, sandy but firm. An addition of hypnotising white chocolate pattern and more chili flakes sprinkled on top, makes these cookies unique and intriguing. They will become a perfect addition to any cookie platter.
How to store chocolate and chili shortbread
Store shortbread at room temperature in a cookie jar or a cookie tin. You can also freeze it for up to 6 months. In order to defrost shortbread, just take it out of the freezer and leave it at room temperature for an hour. It defrosts like a charm.
If you are looking for more shortbread recipes, I can recommend you the following:
Coffee and chocolate chunks shortbread
Click this link to see the best shortbread recipes
I hope you will make my recipe and if you do, please leave a comment below and let me know your feedback. You can also find me on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Gab and Gettr. Please say hi and do not forget to tag me in if you make my recipe. I love seeing your creations.
Recipe source – my own
Enjoy!
Chocolate and chili shortbread cookies are scrumptious. They are easy and fast to make. These beauties are also eggless and vegetarian.
- 150 g butter (salted, room temperature)
- 100 g sugar (white, granulated)
- 200 g flour (soft flour, also called pastry flour or cake flour)
- 40 g cocoa (powder)
- 1/2 tsp chili (flakes, red, plus extra for sprinkling on top)
- 60 g chocolate (white, melted)
Please read my post above. It includes useful information and tips.
Prepare round baking tins. I used small tartlet moulds. I did not grease tartlet moulds as shortbread dough is greasy.
In a medium bowl add all the butter and sugar.
Using your fingers, rub these two together until combined. It took me 8 minutes.
Add flour, cocoa powder and chili flakes. Using your fingers rub together until crumbs start to form. Make sure that cocoa powder is evenly distributed but do not overwork the dough. It is important. The longer you work the dough the more gluten develops. It will make your shortbread to have doughy consistency and you do not want it.
Preheat oven to 170C (338F).
Using a kitchen scale, divide dough into 40g portions. I got 13 cookies from 1 batch of dough.
Press each dough portion into a tartlet mould.
Bake for 12-14 minutes.
Remove shortbread from oven and let it cool down completely.
Then remove shortbread from moulds and decorate with melted chocolate.
Sprinkle some more red chili flakes (optional).