gilded chocolate shortbread

Ingredients

• Servings: 2
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup dutch process cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cake flour
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons 24-karat gold dust

Recipe

• in a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream the butter and 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar. beat in the cocoa, vanilla and salt, mix until smooth. on low speed, gradually mix in the flour until fully incorporated. refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour.
• preheat the oven to 300 degrees f (150 degrees c). prepare a clean, dry work surface by dusting with the remaining confectioners' sugar.
• roll chilled dough out to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into shapes with a knife or cookie cutters. place cookies an ungreased cookie sheet. using a small stiff brush or flat pastry brush, lightly dust the tops of the cookies with the 24-karat gold dust. bake cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, or until firm. be careful not to overbake; you cannot tell by looking because of the dark color of the dough. let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.