Flavors by Four: Chocolate Dipped Pistachio Shortbread

Monday, May 11, 2015

Chocolate Dipped Pistachio Shortbread

It's that time again - Secret Recipe Club. We were assigned Pale Yellow this month. I had a hard time deciding this month as she has so much delicious food to pick from. I always pick sweet over savory because I usually like baking better than cooking. I was between the Peanut butter cup cheesecakes, the

Chocolate covered cherry mini cupcakes, and the Chocolate Dipped Pistachio Shortbread. I finally decided on the shortbread as my family loves anything pistachio and this recipe was perfect. We love cookies and anything dipped in chocolate. I know I will be going back to her blog for other recipes soon.

Ingredients:
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1 box 3.4 oz instant pistachio pudding mix
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp almond extract (recipe called for vanilla extract)
8 ounces all purpose flour
7 ounces bittersweet or dark chocolate (2 Lindt bars)
1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup pistachios, finely chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 8 x 11 pan with cooking spray. Cut a sheet of parchment paper to fit bottom of pan and grease that as well.
Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add in the pudding, salt and almond extract. Mix until well combined, scraping the bowl as needed.
Add flour and mix on low until just combined.

Press the mixture as evenly as possible in the prepared pan using a spatula or your hands.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until the edges begin to brown. Remove from oven and immediately use a knife to cut the shortbread into pieces.

Let cool completely in the pan.
Melt the chocolate and vegetable oil in the microwave on a low setting stirring until smooth. Chop the pistachios or pulse in a food processor until finely chopped.
Dip of third of each cookie in the chocolate and then press in the chopped pistachios. Let dry on a piece of parchment paper. Allow the chocolate to harden.