Ginger and White Chocolate Shortbread

Shortbread is one of my favorite sweets. With a basic recipe and some creativity there can be infinite variant of this treat.

The flavor of lemon zest and ginger are perfectly combined with the withe chocolate to give this cookie an irresistible, sophisticated flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup of butter or vegetable substitute* (softened, cubed, unsalted)
• 1/4 tsp of pure vanilla extract (avoid vanilla flavor)
• 2 cups of all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tbsp of grated fresh ginger (more or less, to taste)
• 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup of crystallized ginger (chopped)
• 1 tsp of lemon zest
• 1/4 cup of powdered sugar (optional, to garnish)

* Use a little less if you use a substitute such as this. If you want to reduce the amount of fat prepare some ice-water and, after adding the butter to the flour, add the chilled water a tbsp at a time, until the dough comes together.

Preparation:

• Combine flour, sugar and salt to form a fountain on the counter. Add butter and pinch the butter to incorporate the flour until dough resembles coarse meal. 
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• Then add vanilla, ginger (both fresh and crystallized) and chocolate chips and mix delicately until well combined. Do no knead the dough to much to avoid gummy texture. 
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• Form a ball with the dough, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
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• Transfer the dough to the counter and roll it about 1/2 inch thick. Use a small glass, a cookie cutter or simply a knife to cut about 24 cookies. The knife is really easy and fast and could shape your cookies in geometric forms such as squares or diamonds.

• Place the cookies in a buttered and floured pan and bake at 250°F in a preheated oven. Let the cookies cool on a rack and sprinkle them with powdered sugar, if you want.