Let me just confess right away that I could not stop taking pictures of these cookies. For every one picture you see here, there are 7 more sitting on my computer. I feel a little like one of those people who invite the neighbors over to watch a vacation slideshow.
As soon as I saw these cookie cutter and chocolate mold kits from Fancy Flours, I knew I had to try them. I used this kit and this one. Each kit comes with a cookie cutter/stamp and a set of chocolate molds.
To make the toppers, I tempered some milk chocolate. I still have some work to do on my tempering...you can see some little flecks in the chocolate, but overall, I was happy with them. The book Sweet Confections has great step-by-step instructions for tempering chocolate...and lots of other candy making.
You could also use candy melts...and I did actually make a few pink topped cookies with pink candy melts and totally forgot to take pictures of them! It's a travesty.
The cookies. Now, Mr. E looooves a shortbread cookie. Every Christmas, I buy him a tin of those butter cookies and he's in heaven. Me? I don't love them. Shortbread cookies sometimes seem a little one-dimensional to me. (I have no idea what I'm talking about, but they're not usually my favorite.) SO, I thought I'd try to make them a little more interesting.
These shortbread are salted almond shortbread. The healthy dose of salt works really nicely with the milk chocolate toppers...and even without the toppers. I love some salty with my sweet, so these were perfect for my palate.
Salted Almond Shortbread Cookies
{makes about 20 3-inch cookies}[notes: I used some white whole wheat flour in these cookies because I always think of shortbread as being more rugged than other cookies. ;) Feel free to use all-purpose for all of it. Also, if you'd like the cookies less salty, use unsalted butter and reduce salt to 1/2 teaspoon.]
1 cup salted butter, cut into chunks
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 & 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
Preheat oven to 350. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the salt and almond extract.
Add in the flour and mix on low until combined.
Roll to 1/4-inch thick on a flour-dusted surface. Bake for 10-12 minutes until done. Remove to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
For the toppers:
Temper milk chocolate or use candy melts. Pour into molds and let set. Unmold.
Use a microplane to shave off any rough edges or to smooth the backside (I wish I could do this to *my* backside). ;)
Melt a little chocolate and use to adhere the molded chocolate to the cookies.
Wishing you lots of love and cookies (and chocolate!) this Valentine's week!
*this post contains amazon affiliate links.
I love your mold:)♥s..
ReplyDeleteI do I do..
I have some French landmarks..and Petit Ecolier..but had never seen these.
Your cookies are adorb:)
I like your twist on a shortbread and you made me laugh when you said I have no idea what I am talking bout:)
How adorable! Now I want to get myself some chocolate molds...
ReplyDeletesono spettacolari!!un set da meraviglia :)
ReplyDeleteun bacione,patrizia
www.angolocottura.com
These are adorable beyond words.
ReplyDeleteI want to reach into my monitor & GRAB one!
YUM! I love shortbread cookies with chocolate but would never have dreamed of making them. Those chocolate molds are amazing!
ReplyDeleteshortbread and chocolate! Yum! But why are the kits so pricy :( ??
ReplyDeleteAs always, you inspire me! These are just breathtaking! And I bet they taste fantastic!!
ReplyDeleteLove love love, Bridget! :0) I even love the rough edges on the chocolate...they remind me of those wax seals on envelopes! <3
ReplyDeleteBridget,
ReplyDeleteYour cookies look adorable. Love them.
Annamaria
These cookies are beautifully sweet looking and I am sure very delicious!!! They make a perfect Valentine gift or treat for home. xo Catherine
ReplyDeleteThese cookies look just beautiful :) So perfectly made..
ReplyDeleteToo cute! These are way better than paper Valentine's!
ReplyDeleteThinking I need to invest in some of these cookie moulds, these cookies have turned out super cute!! I love them, hearted shaped cookies are too cute!!
ReplyDeleteI love a salty-sweet treat! I'll be making these asap...Happy Tuesday :)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.lovecompassionatelee.com/
Fantásticas!
ReplyDeleteThese look like so much fun to make. And eat!!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness Bridget, I want to stop what I'm doing and make these adorable cookies! Love!! xo
ReplyDeleteYum, Adorable and delicious!
ReplyDeleteBridget, You're funny. :) I can see why you wanted to take so many photos; they look amazing, and sound delicious!
ReplyDeleteDid you have any problem with the dough sticking in the cutters? I couldn't seem to get them out.
ReplyDeleteI dipped the cutter in flour before each cut. Sometimes the dough would stick and I just shook it really hard to dislodge the dough. :)
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