#71) Greek Shortbread

This lovely looking sweet treat also played a part in my New Year's cookie buffet, too. Although everybody else seemed to favour the Dirty Bottoms, I actually prefer these guys. I am a shortbread lover and I like pretty much all varieties, but this one was really great because it had a great texture and a crumb that melted the second it hit your tongue, and the sweetness from the icing sugar is, well, the "icing on the cake!"

Give 'em a go and let me know what you think :)

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
1 egg yolk
2 1/2 tsp vanilla (I used homemade vanilla that was given to me as a Christmas gift and it was awesome! Thanks Laura :))
2 3/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder

Steps

-Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat.

-Beat together butter and icing sugar. Add egg yolk and vanilla.

-Sift in flour and baking powder. Beat until combined then knead with hands until smooth.

-Roll into small balls (about 2 dozen) and place on cookie sheets. Flatten with hand.

-Bake for 15 minutes, or until pale golden brown.

-Meanwhile, sift icing sugar onto falt plate. Place hot cookies in icing sugar. Let sit for 3 minutes and then sift more icing sugar over top.

-Let cool completely.

#70) Dirty Bottoms

Have you ever had a "to-do" list so long you never seem to finish it? It seems that since Christmas my list has multiplied every single day, morphing into this new creature I don't even recognize... lesson plans, chores, cooking, errands, gym, evening classes.... it all adds up.

But, this is me taking over and deciding that cookies come first on my list all the time :)

These cookies are a melt-in-your-mouth shortbread dipped in creamy milk chocolate. They were made as part of a cookie buffet for a New Year's Eve party, but I was kind of stuck on a name for them so I asked a group of friends to name them... "Dirty Bottoms" was the very first suggestion, and no matter how cute or creative the following names were, we all decided that these cookies will be forever known as Dirty Bottoms! I hope you enjoy this sweet treat as much as we did.

Ingredients

7 tbsp butter
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Steps

-Preheat oven to 325ºF. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.

-Beat together butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy.

-Add flour and baking powder. Stir until combined.

-Roll dough into small balls (yields 1 dozen). Place balls on cookie sheet.

-Press down balls (I used a tip from my cookie press, but a fork will work).

-Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until a pale golden colour. (Watch closely as they will burn easily).

-Let cool completely.

-Melt chocolate in double boiler. Dip bottom of cookies in chocolate. Let excess drip off.

-Let cool top-side down until chocolate has hardened. (Keep refrigerated so chocolate does not melt).

*Makes 1 dozen cookies.