Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies

I've recently gotten a dessert cook book from a darling online friend so I'm trying to bake more often and try each one of the recipes. One of the recipe that got my attention is the Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies. I've never made shortbread before, but it turned out really good and easy! Here's the end result of the cookies. I could not find hazelnut, so I substituted it with almond. It still tasted GOOD! Highly recommended!

Hazelnut Shortbread
Prep time: 40 mins
Total time: ~2hr
Yield: 48 shortbread rectangles

Ingredients:

• 250ml/1 cup whole hazelnuts, toasted, divided
• 250ml/1 cup butter(2 sticks), softened
• 175ml/.75 cup powdered sugar
• 5ml/1 tsp double strength vanilla(I used regular vanilla)
• 425ml/1.75 cup all purpose flour
• 125ml/0.5 cup chocolate hazelnut spread(I used Nutella spread)
• 1 square(1 oz/30g) unsweetened chocolate for baking, chopped(I used milk chocolate for baking)

Mix Dough.

• Preheat oven to 325F/160C. Line small sheet pan with parchment paper, allowing 1in, to extend past sides; set aside. Grate 3tbsp of the hazelnut. Place butter, powdered sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl, beat on medium speed electric hand mixer until creamy. Gradually add flour and grated hazelnuts. Mix on low speed until dry ingredients begin to blend with butter mixture. Increase speed to medium-high and beat just until mixture forms into a dough.

Bake shortbread and cut into rectangles.

• Distribute dough over bottom of prepared pan. Roll using lightly flour roller to create an even thickness. Bake 43-45 minutes or until deep golden brown. Remove pan from oven to a cooling rack. Cool 10 minutes. Lift parchment and shortbread from pan. Invert shortbread into cutting board. Remove parchment and immediately cut warm shortbread lengthwise into eight rows and crosswise into sixth to make 48 small rectangles. Spread rectangles slightly apart, cool completely.

Coat in chocolate and chopped hazelnut

• Coarsely chop remaining hazelnut using food chopper and place in coating tray. Place hazelnut spread and chocolate in a microwaveable bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on high 60-75 seconds or until melted and smooth, stirring after 1 minutes. Dip one end of each shortbread rectangle into chocolate mixture and roll in nuts, coating all sides. Place on parchment-lined surface to set. If chocolate mixture begins to thicken, return to microwave 10-15 seconds or just until it thins but is not hot.