A buttery shortbread cookie stuffed with milk chocolate.
Ingredients
- 230 grams (1 cup / 2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 65 grams (1/2 cup) icing or powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 280 grams (2 cups) plain flour
- 2 tablespoons cornflour or cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 200 grams (1 and 1/3 cup) milk chocolate or dark chocolate, pieces or squares
- Sea salt flakes, for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced. Line two oven trays with baking or parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add butter, sugar and vanilla and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
- Sift in flour, cornflour and salt and mix on low speed just until a smooth cookie dough forms. Place cookie dough in the fridge for 15 minutes.
- Set aside 16 small squares of chocolate, reserving the rest for the chocolate drizzle.
- Scoop out roughly 2 tablespoons of cookie dough, then flatten it using your hands. Place a piece of chocolate on top and then wrap the cookie dough around the chocolate (so you can’t see the chocolate).
- Roll into a smooth ball using your hand. Place cookie dough ball on prepared trays. Repeat with remaining cookie dough and chocolate.
- Bake cookies for 12-14 minutes or until just golden on the edges. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Melt the remaining chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 20 seconds, until smooth. Drizzle over cookies.
Notes
Butter: I usually use unsalted butter and then add salt to the cookie dough. If you want to use salted butter, you absolutely can. Just omit the extra salt included in the cookie dough.
Icing sugar: Instead of caster sugar, we use icing sugar (also known as powdered sugar or confectioner’s sugar) in the recipe. It helps to create that buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Vanilla extract: Vanilla is the hero in the biscuit, so use good quality vanilla if you have it! I prefer vanilla extract over vanilla essence or imitation vanilla.
Cornflour: A small amount of cornflour or cornstarch is included in the recipe as it also helps to create that tender texture that shortbread is known for. However, you can absolutely leave it out and just add an extra one tablespoon of flour.
Chocolate: When testing this recipe, I’ve used Cadbury milk chocolate. You can really use whatever chocolate you like! Even dark chocolate, white chocolate or hazelnut chocolate will work just fine.
