Peanut Butter Shortbreads with Chocolate Ganache

I made these for Christmas 2003 this past year. They were really rich and decadent!

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Yields: 36 cookies

Ingredients

• 4  cups flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 12  ounces unsalted butter, softened
• 1 3⁄4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1  cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 6  ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
3. In another bowl, beat the butter until creamy (I use an electric handheld mixer) Add confectioners’ sugar and peanut butter, and beat until light and fluffy.
4. Add the vanilla extract.
5. Next beat in the dry ingredients at a low speed.
6. Divide the dough into three portions, and shape into logs about 2-2 ½” inches in diameter.
7. Wrap the three logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 2-3 hours.
8. Slice the logs into 1/3” disks, and arrange on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.
9. Place cookies about 1” apart.
10. Bake each sheet in the oven for 20 minutes, or until just golden.
11. If you prefer to do two sheets at a time, be sure to change the sheets from the top to bottom rack halfway through cooking.
12. When cookies are removed from the oven, gently make a 1 ½” round indentation in the center of each one.
13. (A shot glass works well for this) While the sheets of cookies cool, add chopped chocolate to a heatproof bowl.
14. Next, slowly bring the heavy cream to a boil in a small saucepan, and pour over chopped chocolate.
15. Let the chocolate melt a bit, and then whisk until smooth.
16. After the ganache has cooled for a bit, spoon it into the cookie indentations (about a tsp).
17. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for a week.