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    November 3, 2019

    Roasted chestnut-chocolate shortbread log slice cookies

    baking, recipe, sweet

    shortbread log slice cookies

    Shortbread log slice cookies, yep i went there.

    I was scrolling on Instagram last week and i saw a painting of some log slices with mushrooms on. I thought how great it would be to make cookies inspired by it.

    When i think of roasted chestnuts, i think of log fires so it seemed like the perfect flavour for these.

    The dough is made with a simple traditional shortbread, then i used roasted chestnut with chocolate to make the swirl.

    Then some cocoa powder is added to some of the dough for the bark.

    The first batch i made were too neat, i didn’t think they looked as realistic, so i made a second more rustic batch.

    The recipe for the first batch was made slightly differently, the chestnuts are added to the dough, i have included that recipe too at the bottom of the post.

    (scroll down to the bottom of this post to see the first batch)

    Jump to Recipe

    Shortbread gets its name as it is very short and crumbly, making this dough a little hard to worth with.

    You need plastic wrap, and the addition of a tsp of maple syrup can help.

    short bread log slice cookies
    • chestnuts
    • log slice cookies
    • log slice cookies
    • roasted chestnuts

    Roasting chestnuts

    To roast chestnuts in the oven you need to first wash and dry them, then cut a cross into each one, then bake at 180c for 25 to 30 minutes.

    While they are still hot, peel off the shells and the thing brown film that coats them.

    It is important to do this while they are still warm, as it is a lot harder to do when they have cooled down.

    make sure you cut the crosses deep enough, and be careful as they will explode if you don’t cut them.

    log slice cookies

    shortbread log slice cookies

    roasted chestnut log slice shortbread cookies
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Course Snack
    Cuisine european

    Ingredients
      

    shortbread dough

    • 125 grams unsalted butter softened
    • 60 grams caster sugar
    • 160 grams plain flour
    • pinch of salt
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract optional
    • 1 tsp maple syrup optional
    • 2 tbsp cocoa powder to add to the 1/3 of dough

    chestnut swirl

    • 80 grams ground roasted chestnuts or mix half ground chestnuts and half ground almonds
    • 3 tbsp cocoa powder plus 2 tbsp more
    • 25 grams finely grated chocolate
    • flaked almonds to decorate

    Instructions
     

    • Add the softened butter, vanilla into a bowl with the sugar, and cream together until pale and fluffy. I used a stand mixer but an electric whisk will work, or by hand with a balloon whisk.
    • Add the flour and a pinch of salt and mix in until just combined, (if should be like small rubble) now make the cocoa dough the same way.
    • Remove about 1/3 of the mixture and place in a separate bowl and add 2 tbsp cocoa powder and mix in using your hands.
      (wash your hands so they are clean so you can work with the lighter dough.
    • Take the bowl of plain dough, using your hands bring it together into a dough, trying not to overwork it too much.
    • Take a small hand full of the plain dough and roll it into a thin snake, (pencil like) about 6 inches long. place to the side until you need it (about 2 to 3 tbsp amount of dough should be enough)
    • Tip the remaining plain dough onto the plastic wrap, press down into a large thin rectangle, slightly winder than the dough you already rolled.
    • mix the swirl ingreidents together and tip on top of plain down and press town making a layer on top and roll over gently just to stick it into the dough,
    • Place the piece of dough you rolled into a snake at one end, make sure it is the same width, roll it longer if you need too,
      using the plastic wrap, roll the rectangle of dough around the length of dough until it just meets and gently cut it, you want to roll until you have completely covered the first length of dough, now you will have a new thin log, place the new log on top and continue this step again. using the plastic wrap and pressing down on the dough each time so it sticks. this way you get rings of dough each time. if you prefer just roll the whole thing up into a spiral. like a pinwheel.
    • The dough will be delicate and may crumble so work carefully using the plastic wrap to roll each time.
    • Once all the dough is rolled around, cover tightly with plastic wrap and squeeze it slightly to make sure its pressed together while in plastic wrap to keep its log shape and place in the freezer while you prepare the bark.
    • Place some plastic wrap on the work top and tip the cocoa dough onto it, add a layer of plastic wrap on top. making sure the width is the same as the dough you have already rolled, gently press the dough into a flat rectangle large enough to cover the dough
    • Take the rolled dough out of the freezer, gently remove plastic wrap and place on to the cocoa dough, and roll it around it using the plastic wrap. press on.
    • Tightly wrap in in the plastic wrap and press it slightly to make sure it is all stuck together and place it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, ideally 1 hour.
    • Preheat the oven to 180c 350f
    • Cut the dough into slices. place the slices onto the plastic wrap, using the palm of your hand flatten it slightly, pressing to make sure it is all stuck together, (when you cut it there may be gaps, but once its pressed flat it should all stick together and you should see the rings)
    • There may be a few cracks when you press the dough flat, but this is good as it looks more log like, use a knife to add some more cracks, and add some texture to the bark part of the dough.
    • Press in some sliced almonds around the edge so they look like mushrooms
    • Place on a lined baking tray, spaced at least 2 inches apart and bake for 20 minutes
    • As soon as they come out of the oven, use a knife add more intents to the bark and leave them to completely cool on the tray. once cool remove from tray and enjoy. keep in an air tight container for 3 days

    Note – if you find that the dough is too short and crumbly to work with add 1 tsp of maple syrup to it. But using the plastic wrap should help, the shorter it is (and the less you work it) the better it will taste. if some crumbles as you roll it just patch it back up with the crumbled dough. the warmth of your hands will help mould it.

      Keyword shortbread
      log slice cookies

      shortbread log slice cookies

      Alternitive recipe using two dough’s like a pinwheel

      chestnut dough

      • 125g unsalted butter (use good quality butter)
      • 60g caster sugar
      • 80g ground roasted chestnuts
      • 160g flour
      • 1 tsp vanilla extract
      • pinch of salt

      cocoa dough

      • 125g unsalted butter
      • 60g sugar
      • 170g plain flour
      • cocoa powder 2 tbsp plus 2 tbsp more
      • pinch of salt

      Method for making dough.

      Make each of the dough’s separately

      Start by whipping the softened butter and sugar and vanilla together until pale and very soft and airy.

      Mix in the flour and chestnuts until it looks like rubble. then using your hands bring it together, if it looks too dry you can add 1 tsp maple syrup .

      (you can add 1 tsp of maple syrup to the dough if you are finding it too hard to work with, shortbread is very short and needs to be worked with a little as possible)

      Make the cocoa dough the same way. then take half of it and add to a separate bowl for the bark and add more cocoa powder to it. (make sure you reserve enough of it to make bark).

      Making the log slice

      lay plastic wrap onto the work surface.

      Take a small handful of dough, and roll into a small thin snake about 6 inches long. The width of a pencil.

      Take some of the cocoa dough, place onto the plastic wrap and flatten thinly into a rectangle the same length as the dough you rolled. (the thinner the better)

      Make sure it is wide enough to roll around, then place the piece of dough on it and use the plastic wrap to roll it over.

      Now you will have one ring,

      Place some of the chestnut dough (more than last time so its a thicker layer) and do the same again, flattening it, and roll it around.

      continue, until you have two or three rings, but saving enough cocoa dough for the bark.

      cover tightly in plastic wrap and then place in the fridge.

      slice and flatten each disk and place on a lined baking tray.

      add sliced almonds to look like mushrooms and bake.

      (Alternatively place half of the cocoa dough to one side for the bark, then thinly roll out the rest, place chestnut dough on top and press down so you have a thicker layer on top, then place the rolled dough at one end and roll around into a log. slice of and place the new log on and roll around again, building up the rings each time).

      looking for more autumn inspired recipes?

      try

      This leaf shaped fougasse

      pumpkin pie with coriander seed caramel

      Butternut squash cake

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      roasted chestnut, shortbread

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      2 Comments

      1. Ruth Miranda says

        November 4, 2019 at 11:33 am

        they look so cute!

        • twiggstiudios says

          November 5, 2019 at 3:39 pm

          thank you ruth they are so fun to make x

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