Pastel Dipped Shortbread (Graybeh)

SERVINGS: 30 1.5-INCH DIAMONDS | RECIPE BY: MAUREEN ABOOD

Classic Lebanese shortbread cookies that melt-in-your-mouth are all dressed up for spring, dipped in white chocolate that is colored and flavored with powdered freeze-dried fruit. The coconut oil is added to the white chocolate for a smoother, thinner consistency for coating the cookies.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE COOKIES:
3/4 cup clarified butter, at solid room temperature
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon orange blossom water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 3/4 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour

FOR THE DIP:
3 cups white chocolate chips
2 1/2 teaspoons coconut oil
1/3 cup freeze-dried blueberries
1/3 cup freeze-dried strawberries
2 tablespoons pistachios, ground (use raw pistachios for bright green color)

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the oven to 325 degrees and place the rack in the center of the oven. Line two sheet pans with parchment or a silpat.

Using a mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the butter on high speed until fluffy, creamy and pale, about six minutes. Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula for even whipping. Add the confectioners' sugar, orange blossom water, and vanilla and whip until well combined and fluffy, another 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk the flour and salt. On low speed, slowly blend in the flour, ½ cup at a time.

Handle the dough as gingerly as possible to shape the cookies. Knead the dough just enough to form a cohesive dough. Take a large handful of the dough and shape it into a log about 1-inch tall and wide (this is pretty narrow!) on a lightly floured surface. If the dough is crumbly, gently push it together. Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to square off the sides of the log, and to cut ½-inch pieces diagonally (these are quite small; they expand when baked).

Place the diamonds on a parchment-lined heavy sheet pan and bake until the cookies are baked through but still pale, about 18-20 minutes. The cookies should not be browned except for very minimally on the bottom.

Remove from the oven and cool on the sheet pan.

Gently melt the white chocolate chips with the coconut oil in a double boiler. White chocolate is very delicate takes this indirect heat to melt properly. Or, melt the chocolate with the coconut oil in 15 second increments in the microwave.

Pulverize the blueberries until they are finely ground. Sift in a fine mesh sieve. Do the same, in clean grinder or processor, with the strawberries.

Divide the melted white chocolate into three small bowls. Add a teaspoon or so of the blueberry powder to one bowl, and the strawberry powder to another bowl. Leave the third bowl of white chocolate as is. Stir the powder and chocolate well, adding more powder for more color and flavor as you like.

To dip the cooled cookies, dunk the top half of a cookie in one of the colored chocolates, taking care to coat the top only of the cookie for easier drying and handling of the cookie. Use a spoon to assist in coating part of the cookie. Allow any excess chocolate to drip off back into the bowl. Place the cookie back on the parchment lined cookie sheet and sprinkle with a bit of the pistachios. Dip all of the cookies in this way, with 1/3 of the cookies in the blueberry chocolate, 1/3 of the cookies in the strawberry chocolate, and 1/3 of the cookies in the plain white chocolate.

Let the dipped cookies dry for two hours. Serve immediately, or store in a single layer in airtight containers for a day.

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