chocolate dipped pecan shortbread.

well it is that time of year again..teacher present time!!! and since i like to go that extra mile in the holidays we are baking our gifts this year. so right now - much to my husbands dismay but if i manage my time he won't know - my kitchen is a disaster but we have been busy little elves! i will put up all the different recipes we are using throughout this week.

today we are making chocolate-dipped pecan shortbread. yum!! not much more to say - the name really says it all. how can you think about this? if someone offered you a cookie with this name would you hesitate lunging for it? yeah, no, you would not. so this is my gift to you. now go and make your sense happy.

go one now. go.

chocolate-dipped pecan shortbread.

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter - soft.
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg - room temp.
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1 cup pecan halves (use all the broken ones and bits - save the nice one for spiced nuts! also you can use hazelnuts for this cookie.)
chocolate for melting.

pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.

beat butter on medium speed with sugar until light and fluffy. add egg. beat until incorporated - don't forget to scrape down the sides! add vanilla; mix. sprinkle in baking powder and salt; mix. then with mixer on low fold in flour.

meanwhile toast your nuts in pre-heated oven for 8 minutes.

process your nuts till they are little bits - not too little though, you want to identify them. fold them into the batter and with wet hands roll out twelve balls and place on cookie sheet and press down into disks. bake for 15 minutes. remove, place on wire rack and cool completely.

to melt chocolate:
place a heat proof bowl over a pot of simmering water. place your chocolate in the bowl and allow to melt, stirring occasionally, until it's all smooth. remove promptly. dip each cookie in chocolate then place on a cookie covered in parchment. allow to cool and then eat!

**to make these cookies party-size still make your twelve balls then split each of those in half to get twenty-four balls. reduce your baking time to 8 to 10 minutes and keep an eye on them until done to your liking!