Espresso Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies

Holiday Shortbread variation #2 for 2011 is inspired by the wonderful coffee nut cake I made a few weeks ago.  I used my basic shortbread recipe and added strong espresso and ground hazelnuts for a refined flavor. The coffee really comes through both in the scent and taste of these cookies.  I had planned to drizzle them with milk chocolate, but the chocolate was a little too thick to drizzle elegantly, so I inelegantly dunked them right in. 

Espresso Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies
makes about 14 small cookies
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup finely ground hazelnuts (Bob's Red Mill makes a Hazelnut Meal/Flour, and Trader Joe's carries ground nuts at the holidays)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp instant espresso dissolved in 1 Tbsp boiling water and cooled
1/2 cup, 1 stick, unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips (for drizzling or dunking)

• In the bowl of a stand mixer or food processor (you can also use a hand mixer, or your hands) mix together the flour, sugar and hazelnuts.  
• Add the softened butter, vanilla and cooled espresso and mix until the dough comes together.  
• Turn out onto waxed or parchment paper and form into an 8" log.  
• Wrap the log in the paper and twist the ends, smoothing the shape as you go.
• Chill for at least an hour, or overnight.
• Pre-heat the oven to 325, and line and baking sheet with parchment.
• Slice the dough into 1/3 to 1/2 inch slices.
• Bake in the center of the oven for about 12 minutes.
• Cool on the pan briefly before finishing on a rack.
• When the cookies are completely cool, melt the chocolate for about a minute in the microwave stirring until completely smooth, then drizzle or dunk the shortbread.  You can just dust them with powdered sugar if you don't want to use the chocolate.

I love this shortbread variation.  They would be a great hostess gift because even people who don't drink coffee love the taste, and these are perfect for after dinner.  Like all shortbread doughs, you can keep it in the freezer to pull out when you need it.  If you freeze the sliced dough you can bake right from frozen, but if you freeze the whole log you will have to let it defrost before you can slice it.