An easy recipe that filled a gap when I didn’t have enough brown sugar for what I otherwise planned, this made sure I didn’t eat all the chocolate I bought in Athens just by the handful. Again. It’s good chocolate, man! This shortbread’s crisp and buttery, with just the right amount of salt.

The cookie cutters were a birthday gift!

Yeeep.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 ounces dark chocolate, very finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon water, if necessary
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugars, and vanilla until light and fluffy.

Add the flour and salt and mix on low speed until just combined. The dough will look dry, but should hold together when squeezed. If not, add the water.

Stir in the chocolate.

Press the dough together into two large balls.

Flatten each into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment. (I really need to buy some of that one of these days!)

Roll out one of your dough disks to about 1/4 inch thickness. I found that I didn’t need to use flour to keep it from sticking, until I was rolling out scraps of scraps that had had the chance to warm. Either cut your rolled out dough into strips, or use cookie cutters.

Transfer the cut pieces to your prepared sheets. Sprinkle with coarse salt.

This was both halves of the dough.

Bake 18-22 minutes, until lightly browned. Repeat with the second disk of dough. Cool each batch on pan 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Chocolate-Speckled Salted Shortbread

From Nosh With Me.

• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 ounces dark chocolate, very finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon water, if necessary
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugars, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the flour and salt and mix on low speed until just combined. The dough will look dry, but should hold together when squeezed. If not, add the water. Stir in the chocolate.

Press the dough together into two large balls. Flatten each into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment.

Roll out one of your dough disks to about 1/4 inch thickness. Either cut your rolled out dough into strips, or use cookie cutters. Transfer the cut pieces to your prepared sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake 18-22 minutes, until lightly browned. Repeat with second disk of dough. Cool on pan 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.