Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Shortbread

Oh shortbread, how I do love thee. And all the better if said shortbread is dipped in bitter, dark chocolate and sprinkled with a smattering of sea salt. 

I rarely really eat biscuits, so when I do they're usually homemade or those wonderful stroop wafels perched over a hot cup of coffee or a buttery galette from Bonne Maman. And nothing does beat a chocolate digestive from time to time either. 

These aren't the most dunkable of biscuits, but still they are a wonderful treat to bake and very quick and easy to do. You don't even have to bother chilling the dough beforehand, just simply cream the sugar and butter together, add the dry ingredients and shape and flatten into small rounds. 

This recipe only makes a small amount because I live in a small family...and they are rather rich too and unfortunately go stale so very fast as well. 

Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Shortbread 

Makes 7-8 hobnob sized biscuits 

Ingredients: 

3oz butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 oz light soft brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 oz plain flour

1 oz cocoa powder

1 1/2oz ground almonds

To coat:

75g/3oz dark chocolate, melted 

Sprinkling of sea salt (Maldon is best) 

1. Line a large baking tray with Preheat over to 180C. Beat together the butter, sugar and vanilla extract together until pale, light and fluffy. 

2. Mix together the plain flour, cocoa powder and ground almonds and stir this together to make a dark rubble. Using your hands, work this to come to a dough (don't overmix or your dough will be tough) and shape into seven or eight balls, flattening with your hand to get the biscuits reasonably thin. 

3. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes and allow to cool enough to handle before transferring to a cooling rack. 

4. Once cool, dip individually in the dark chocolate (either half or whole dipped, the choice is entirely yours) and sprinkle with sea salt.