Ginger Chocolate Shortbread

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter (at room temperature)
• 1/2 cup superfine sugar (also known as fruit sugar)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup finely chopped preserved gingerroot (not candied, but the type preserved in syrup)
• 3 ounces semisweet chocolate (chopped)

Recipe

• 1 please note that this recipe calls for preserved ginger, which is the ginger typically sold in jars or in bulk stores (where i buy mine) that is in a sweet syrup; the type of ginger that is candied and sugared is not the type of ginger to use.
• 2 place soft butter and superfine sugar in a mixing bowl and, using an electric mixer, blend butter and sugar together until fluffy.
• 3 slowly stir in flour, then chopped ginger, then chopped chocolate.
• 4 the mixture will be crumbly.
• 5 divide the dough in half and shape each half into a log about 1-1/2 inches in diameter; wrap logs tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about one hour.
• 6 dough keeps well in the fridge for several days, so there's no need to bake the whole batch up at one time if you're pressed for time.
• 7 when ready to bake, preheat oven to 300°f.
• 8 cut logs of cookie dough into slices about 3/8-inch thick (i found a sharp serrated steak knife worked better for me than my chef's knife); arrange about two inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet and bake in centre of oven for 18 to 20 minutes.
• 9 cool cooked cookies on a wire rack; do not store until completely cool.