Simple shaped shortbread cookies topcook.tomathouse.com
Ingredients:
- 2 and 1/4 cups of premium flour, plus extra for work
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp fine salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 175 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 0.5 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 5 tbsp dark cocoa
- 60 g dark chocolate, melted
- 1/4 cup pink royal icing
- Special equipment: cookie cutters in the shape of a cat, dog, and cow
Preparation:
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, beat the egg with vanilla extract.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar with a mixer on low speed. After incorporating the sugar, increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until light and creamy, about 3 minutes.
- Reduce the speed back to low and gradually pour in the egg mixture; beat until smooth. Add the flour mixture in three additions, increasing the speed as the dough thickens, and mix, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Once all the flour is incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and beat, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, until smooth, about 5 minutes.
- Remove half of the dough from the bowl and set aside. Using a mixer on low speed, beat the cocoa powder into the remaining half of the dough for about 2 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 175°C and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place grape-sized pieces of plain and chocolate dough in the center of a separate sheet of parchment paper (the pieces should be close together). Place another sheet of parchment paper on top and use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 0.3-0.5 cm thick layer to create a mottled texture. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes to set.
- Using cookie cutters, cut out shapes of a cat, dog, and cow from the dough. Gather the scraps (do not knead or roll into a ball) and cut out more cookies. Repeat until you've used up as much dough as possible.
- Transfer the dough shapes to the prepared baking sheets and bake until set but still lightly colored on the yellow portions, about 12 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Use a toothpick to create eyes for the animals using melted chocolate. Place pink icing in a small zip-lock plastic bag and poke a small hole in the corner. Pipe icing to create a nose for the cat, an udder and nose for the cow, and a tongue for the dog.
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