“Top Chef All Stars” contestant Carla Hall loves cookies and the idea of cookie exchanges. “Our holiday tradition is to have lots of petite sweets around, namely cookies, to nibble on while we play games and for snacking after the early dinner,” she tells Yeas & Nays. Chocolate Shortbread with Chocolate Ganache
Makes 2 dozen 1-inch cookies
1? cups all-purpose flour
? cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
? cup cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
? cup unsalted butter, room temperature
? cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. In a small bowl, combine flour, cornstarch and salt.
2. In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon or in a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment. Beat until smooth and light in color (about 3 minutes).
3. Mix in the vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and stir until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
4. Spoon the mixture into logs 1 inch in diameter on parchment paper. Roll up the logs, wrap it in plastic wrap and store in the fridge, at least 2 hours, until ready to bake.
5. Cut the dough into ? inch-thick discs and place them on parchment-lined baking sheets.
6. Bake at 300° F until golden, about 15 minutes. Let the shortbread cool completely on a wire rack. Squirt a pea-size amount of ganache on the bottom of a piece of shortbread, then place another piece on top. Voila! Repeat with the remaining shortbread. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.
Visit yeasandnays.com for Hall’s Chocolate Ganache recipe.
