Espresso Shortbread Squares Recipes

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Combine flour and cornstarch; gradually add to creamed mixture. , Pat into an ungreased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Pierce several times with a fork. Bake at 325° for 40-45 minutes or until lightly browned. Cut while warm.

Steps:

• In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer, beat the butter with the flat paddle attachment on the medium speed until creamy. Add the sugar gradually and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. In another bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa, espresso powder and salt. Add to the creamed mixture and beat on low speed until incorporated. Scrape the soft dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap and gather together into a ball. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, or until firm enough to roll out. You may chill it overnight; just let it soften a bit at room temperature before proceeding. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut out cookies with a cookie cutter of your choice. These baking instructions are for 3-inch cookies. If you make small cookies, reduce the baking time, larger cookies will require a longer baking time. Reroll any extra dough and cut out as many cookies as possible. Transfer the cookies to the prepared pans, keeping them at least 1-inch apart. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pans front to back halfway through the baking time. These cookies are so dark that it is impossible to see if they are beginning to color. Use the time suggested and check to see if the edges and bottoms are completely dry. You should be able to lift a cookie up with a spatula to peek at the bottom; the cookie should be baked enough to remain stiff and not break. Set the pans directly on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Then remove the cookies to the rack and cool completely. The sheet pans must be cooled completely between uses, but you will probably be able to reuse the parchment. The cookies are best eaten within 1 week; store them at room temperature in an airtight container.

Steps:

• Butter an 8 1/2-inch cake or springform pan; set aside. Sift together flour and salt into a small bowl; set aside. Place butter in bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Cream until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add sugar, and continue to beat until very light in color and fluffy, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, about 2 minutes more. Add vanilla, if using. Dissolve 2 tablespoons espresso powder in 1 teaspoon hot water. Add mixture to creamed butter-and-sugar mixture with vanilla, before adding flour. Add flour mixture, and combine on low speed, scraping with spatula if necessary, until flour is just incorporated and dough sticks together when squeezed with fingers.
• Pat dough into prepared pan. If rolling out dough to cut into shapes, form into a flat disk; wrap in plastic. Chill until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Roll dough out 1/4 inch thick. Cut into ovals with 2-inch cutter. Score a line down the middle with the back of a knife; chill.
• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Bake until firm, about 20 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300. Line 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper.
• For the BARS: In a large bowl beat butter and sugar at med speed until fluffy and very pale. Beat in vanilla and salt. In a small bowl, combine flour and espresso powder. Add dry ingredients to large bowl in 3rds, scraping and beating until just combined.
• Firmly press dough into the baking pan in an even layer using plastic wrap on top with a flat utensil to spread to entire pan. Toss plastic.
• Bake about 40 minutes or until very lightly browned and firm but not solid to the touch. Do not over cook. Cool pan on rack about 10 minutes.
• Cut bars into 5 strips by 8 strips. (40 bars) Cool completely.
• For the GLAZE: In a small saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, espresso, corn syrup and salt. Boil over moderate heat, swirling the pan, until slightly thickened (1-2 minutes). Remove from heat. When bubbling subsides, pour quickly over shortbread, spreading in an even layer with a spatula. Using a lightly oiled knife, score the glaze without dragging, along cuts. Press an espresso bean in the center of each bar. Cool slightly then separate bars and transfer to a plate.

Steps:

• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• In a small bowl, stir espresso powder into 2 teaspoons hot water until coffee has dissolved. Add coffee mixture and ground espresso beans to butter mixture; beat to combine.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Add to butter mixture, and beat on medium low speed until well combined, about 4 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Shape heaping tablespoons of dough into ovals. Arrange ovals about 1 1/2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using a wooden skewer dipped in flour, make an indentation in dough lengthwise to achieve the look of a coffee bean. Freeze or refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are just beginning to brown, 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Store up to 1 week in airtight containers at room temperature.