Coffee and chocolate chunks shortbread
My family absolutely adores coffee and chocolate chunks shortbread. I could not miss the opportunity to include this classic flavour combination in my shortbread baking list. You can easily turn 6 simple ingredients into wonderful and indulgent treat. It is eggless and vegetarian.
How to make coffee and chocolate chunks shortbread
Everybody is saying that making 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 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 very good 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.
The more I read about different types of flour, the more I realise that I want to create a separate post in which I could explain all different types of flour and how they affect baking. It is very interesting.
Fort his recipe, apart from the 3 standard shortbread ingredients I have also used :
COFFEE : Good quality coffee granules dissolved in 5 ml of warm water.
SEMI-DARK CHOCOLATE CHUNKS : I highly recommend using a good quality chopped chocolate over chocolate chips. Chocolate chunks give shortbread more dimension and texture. Also, chocolate chunks are not waxy as chocolate chips.
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 and gently rub it together until just combined. Then add coffee and chopped chocolate. 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 used 23cm (9inch) round baking tin to bake this shortbread. I tested this recipe in many different tins and this size of baking pan allowed for optimal thickness and the best consistency. I baked it for 35 minutes at 180C (356F). If you decide to make this shortbread thicker you will need to adjust the temperature accordingly. I would add another 5 minutes of baking time.
What does coffee and chocolate chunks shortbread taste like?
These wonderful shortbread has an incredible texture. It is firm but crumbly. The flavour of butter is strong but does not dominate. It is actually coffee and semi-dark chocolate that play main role in this sweet indulgent treat. This shortbread goes perfectly with a cup of tea or coffee.
How to store coffee and chocolate chunks 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:
Halvah and cardamom 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!
Coffee and semi-dark chocolate chunks shortbread. It is such a classic combination and works fantastic in my shortbread recipe.
- 250 g butter (room temperature, salted)
- 250 g flour (cake flour (soft flour))
- 60 g sugar (white, granulated)
- 120 g chocolate (semi-dark chocolate, roughly chopped)
- 25 g coffee (granules)
- 5 ml water (1 tsp)
Please read the above post as well. It included useful information.
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 and using your fingers rub together until crumbs start to form. Make sure you do not knead the dough and you do not overwork the dough. It is important. The longer you work the dough the more gluten develops. It will make your shortbread have a doughy consistency. You do not want it.
Add coffee granules and water in a small bowl and mix until coffee is completely dissolved.
Pour coffee to the dough.
Add chopped chocolate.
Use a spoon and mix all the ingredients making sure that chocolate chunks are distributed evenly.
Preheat your oven to 170C fan (338F).
Transfer dough on the baking tin. (There is not need to grease baking tin). Press the dough firmly.
Using a knife make small holes in the dough.
Bake shortbread for about 35 minutes until golden on edges.
Remove shortbread from oven and cut it the way you wish. It is easier to cut shortbread when it is hot.
Let shortbread cool down completely before consuming.