Thanks • Merci • Gracias
It’s easy to feel invisible as your social interactions shrink to fit into a small box inside a 40-minute Zoom meeting. As thankful as I am to be able to connect online in this way with colleagues, friends, and family, I yearn for more. Surprisingly, my wish was granted by doing something for someone else. In return for my help, I have been rewarded with hours of exchanging ideas, life experiences and hopes for the future. I found out for myself the truth of the saying that “it's better to give than to receive.”
“Gratitude is the heart’s memory.” French Proverb
So to express my gratitude for what I’ve received, I make cookies (of course!). And the perfect cookie for an occasion such as this are these simple but so-yummy Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread Squares. With just a few basic ingredients you can make a batch of these delicious treats, dip them in chocolate, and have them ready to give to someone special in no time at all. They turned out to be the perfect way to say ”thank you” for making this time something to cherish and not just endure.
Cookie specifics
Shortbread. The combination of European butter and vanilla makes this shortbread cookie one of the yummiest cookies I make. It’s buttery, crumbly and light. Dipping it in chocolate makes it even more delicious and special.
Shapes
square, flutted-edged cookie cutter
Sizes
I used a 2½-inch square cookie cutter with a fluted edge...my favorite size for dipping and eating!
The Cookie
I developed this Shortbread recipe over the course of several months in my quest to duplicate the taste and texture of a shortbread cookie from a now-closed bakery in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Once I perfected the recipe, it became a cookie that I now bake for many occasions throughout the year.
Dipping Chocolate
Semisweet Chocolate Dipping Sauce: This easy method for making dipping chocolate brings my favorite chocolate (Guittard Semisweet Chocolate — 64% cacao) to the buttery shortbread party. I recommend using a chocolate that you like to eat out-of-hand. That way you’ll know it will be something delicious.
Chocolate for Dipping Cookies
Cookies
Shortbread: flour, butter, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, salt
Dipping Chocolate: high-quality semisweet chocolate (at least 60% cacao). I prefer Guittard Semisweet Chocolate (64% cacao).
Plate, Box or Bag?
Box. My favorite way to gift my cookies is to package them in a cardboard bakery box with a clear window on top that makes the contents visible to anyone who wants to peek. Depending on the size of the cookies (2½-to-3 inches is my favorite size to make), the boxes I use can hold about 12 to 18 cookies. This was the perfect choice for packaging my “thank you” of Chocolate-dipped Shortbread Squares.
What I’ve learned...
Cookies are the perfect way to say “thank you” for almost anything. My handwriting has gotten so bad over the years that a handwritten note from me is more of a punishment than a kindness. Cookies, on the other hand, are an unmistakable — and sweet — message of my genuine appreciation for your thoughtfulness. These cookies were made with the best ingredients I could find and baked in small batches. Life is just better when you can share something you love to do with someone who has given you a gift. Don’t you agree?
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