Halloween Chocolate Espresso Tombstone Shortbread

Who loves a good scare in October? 

I do and all things Halloween of course!

What I love most is that out here in Southern California our weather gradually begins to change as in less heat waves! The ocean breeze blows cooler and dark overcast clouds gradually return, that's our Fall.  But the best news about this is I can finally turn the oven on without over heating the house, and get a little creative in the kitchen!

On a recent trip to the Low Country, I was excited and enchanted when I entered the beautiful Southern Gothic Bonaventure Cemetery just outside Savannah. It's breathtakingly beautiful. 

Paths surrounded with 100 year old live oaks dripping with Spanish moss hanging in long silvery-gray skeins. They reach lengths no less than 10 ft long and when slowly waving in the wind they produce a solemn funeral effect absolutely impressive. 

It's a place that has captured the imagination of many writers, photographers and filmmakers. This 100 acre cemetery is historically significant as a reflection of changing views on death and dying in the Victorian era. As death became more romanticized and ritualized during this period, cemeteries became lush, beautiful "cities of the dead."

My tombstone chocolate-espresso shortbread cookies are dead ringers for this Halloween season. Their deep, dark flavor with a hint of espresso and cinnamon offer both a warm and bold taste. And, although they may lack in beauty compared to the 'the real ones' their taste is hauntingly exquisite and unforgettable!

Let's bake...shall we?

INGREDIENTS

1-1/2 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 tsp salt

1tbsp plus 1 tsp instant espresso powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Sugar sprinkles of your choice

TOOLS

Gravestone shaped cookie cutter

2 baking sheets

2 wire cooling racks
Sifter
Rolling pin

Parchment paper

Mixer with paddle attachment
Measuring cups & spoons
#3 piping tip
piping bag or parchment paper

DIRECTIONS

Sift together flour, cocoa butter, salt, cinnamon and espresso into a bowl and set aside.

In stand mixer bowl fitted with paddle attachment beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Beat until well combined, about 1 minute. Add the dry ingredients and  mix until the dough comes together.

If the dough is soft wrap it tightly in plastic wrap for about 1 hour. (Dough will keep wrapped in plastic, for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or 3 months in freezer.) Otherwise, roll out the dough to 1/2" thick on a lightly floured surface and press the cookie cutter against the dough.  To make the additional feature on the tombstone I pressed the 1/4" teaspoon to cut the shape out. 

Place them 2" apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 

Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Bake for about 13 minutes. Remove shortbread to a wire rack to cool.

To pipe the shortbread with chocolate: 
Pour the chocolate chips into a small microwaveable cup and heat in 20 sec intervals until the chocolate chips are melted. Let the chocolate cool down and pour it into the piping bag with the #3 tip.  
Pipe the chocolate along the edge of each cookie and create your own designs, decorate with sprinkles of your choice. The shortbread can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 2 dozen 2.5"x2.5" gravestones.

Happy Halloween y'all!

Coconut Shortbread

If you love coconut and shortbread try these lovelies with your tea next time you bake. A bite into one of these unleashes a clean tropical buttery taste with a bit of a "je n'ai sais pas" lovely crunch at the end, that's the cornmeal! The flavours make me think of a British colony somewhere far off on a Caribbean island. Hmm...maybe I'll plan a trip soon or maybe I'll just pop Downton Abbey into my dvd and watch that this afternoon with my tea and shortbread!

Whatever you decide to bake today, baking these treats will surely add a bit of tropical sweetness with your tea...or coffee!

TOOLS
electric standing mixer with paddle attachment
measuring spoons & cups
silicon spatula
2 baking sheets

parchment paper

plastic wrap

2 cooling racks

rolling pin

your favourite cookie cutter

INGREDIENTS
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp coconut extract
3 tbsp sweetend coconut flakes

1 cup white flour

1 cup wheat flour

 3 tbps cornmeal
tsp coarse salt
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut

3 tbsp cornmeal (again)

DIRECTIONS
Place butter and powdered sugar in the electric standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix on medium speed until creamy and smooth, for about 2 minutes.  Add coconut extract. Mix until combined and scrap down the bowl as necessary. Reduce speed and add the sweetened coconut flakes, flours, cornmeal and salt. Mix well. 
Halve dough and shape each half into a round disc. Wrap each with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hr. 

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a bowl mix unsweetened coconut and 3 tbsp cornmeal. This will be used to sprinkle on top of cookies before baking.

Once dough is chilled, with rolling pin roll dough flat to 1/4" thick. Cut out shapes with your favorite cookie cutter and place each on baking sheets lined with parchment paper 1'' apart. Sprinkle with cornmeal and unsweetened coconut.  Bake until pale golden, 25-30 minutes. After baked transfer to a cooling rack.

Makes about 3 dozen depending on cookie cutter, mine is a 1"w x 3"l rectangle cutter.  Shortbread can be stored up to a week in an airtight container.

Tea time!