PEPPERMINT BARK SHORTBREAD BITES FROM THE COOKIE BOOK

Submitted by Food.com

"Reprinted with permission from The Cookie Book by Rebecca Firth, Page Street Publishing Co. 2018. Photo credit: Rebecca Firth. "I just knew I needed something with peppermint bark in here, but I didn’t want to do actual peppermint bark. There were several underwhelming iterations before landing on these lovelies. The chocolate shortbread is equal parts buttery and sandy in all the best ways. And chocolate and peppermint? It just never gets old. The sprinkling of peppermint around the perimeter makes these look like holiday wreaths. I think. You decide." -- Rebecca Firth"

 

• Ready In: 1hr
• Ingredients: 13
• Yields: 24 cookies

ingredients

• 20 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 20 pieces, room temperature
• 3⁄4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
• 1⁄4 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa (Dutch process)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 cup decorator sugar

• COOKIE COATING

• 1 1⁄3 cups dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 3⁄4 cup white chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1⁄3 cup peppermint candy, finely crushed and divided

directions

1. To make the cookies, in an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and brown sugar and mix on medium for about 4 minutes, or until well blended. With the mixer on low, add in the egg yolk, vanilla and peppermint extract and run for 2 minutes more or until completely blended. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is well incorporated.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder. Add this to the butter mixture and run on low for 2 minutes, or until everything is combined and the dough has come together. Separate the dough into two hunks and shape each into a log with about a 2-inch (5-cm) circumference. It’s a little messy, but you can do it. Grab two pieces of plastic wrap, place a dough log on each,.
3. wrap tightly and roll the logs on the counter to round them out a bit. Place in the freezer for 1 hour or until firm.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and cover several baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the sparkling sugar in a pie plate or casserole dish. Set aside.
5. Once the logs are firm and chilled, roll them in the sparkling sugar to coat and then cut ½-inch (1.3-cm) thick slices using a sharp knife. Place them on the baking sheets, leaving 2 inches (5 cm) between cookies. Place the cookies in the freezer for 10 minutes or the fridge for 20 minutes.
6. Bake one sheet at a time in center of the oven for 14 minutes. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes and then transfer to a rack to finish cooling.
7. To make the cookie coating, in a medium, heat-safe bowl add the dark chocolate and set over a medium saucepan of simmering water. Do not let the bowl touch the water. Stir frequently until melted and smooth and then turn off the heat. In another.
8. Buy the book!
9. https://www.amazon.com/Cookie-Book-Decadent-Bites-Occasion/dp/1624146376/.