Cocoa-Mint Shortbread

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Cocoa Mint Shortbread

Morning folks! I have had a foodie filled past week and I couldn’t be happier! First, I had my last vegan holiday cooking class. This week’s class was all about dessert (pics coming soon)! Then on Sunday, I attended a cookbook party and fundraiser for a new site called American Food Roots. I’ll be telling you more about the site soon, but in the meantime, check it out (and join community!). Yesterday, I signed up to be a volunteer for this year’s Sips and Suppers, a DC food event to raise awareness about and to help to tackle homelessness (send positive energy that I get chosen as a volunteer!). This morning I made one of the easiest and tastiest vegan desserts EVER (more on that later…). I have some big foodie news coming tomorrow (I know, I know, I’m SUCH a tease…). And right now, I’m happy to share with you my cocoa-mint shortbread!

If you’ve been following Como Water for awhile, you know that I love me some shortbread. So, this holiday season, it should come as no surprise that I’ll be leaving Santa some of this Cocoa-Mint Shortbread. (Maybe now, he’ll leave me that Kitchen Aid Mixer or DSLR camera I’ve wanted). 😀 I’ll be back tomorrow with the news. In the meantime, bake cookies! And check out this Christmas Extravaganza organized by my foodie friend Cake Whiz! Information on all of the lovely desserts can be found at the end of this post.

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Cocoa-Mint Shortbread

(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Earth Balance–softened

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

leaves from 1 peppermint tea bag

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

pinch baking soda

sugar–for topping

melted chocolate–for topping

crushed candy canes–for topping

Method:

*Whisk Earth Balance, sugar, vanilla extract, and peppermint leaves in large bowl. Sift in flour, salt, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Fold dry into ‘wet.’ Refrigerate dough for at least 15 minutes.

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*Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Press refrigerated dough into tart pan. Sprinkle lightly with sugar. Bake approximately 15-18 minutes. Remove from oven and cut into pieces. Let cool completely. Drizzle with melted chocolate and sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Enjoy! 😀

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1. Chocolate cranberry skillet cake from Sandra at Sandra’s Easy Cooking

2. Pistachio and cardamom semifreddo with rose cream from Manu at Manu’s Menu

3. Annabelle’s ginger crisps from Liz at That Skinny Chick Can Bake

4. Chocolate cookies with candied fruit slices from Kate at Diethood

5. Honey pistachio sesame cookies (Barazek) from Sawsan at Chef in Disguise

6. Poppy seed roll (Makowiec) from Raven at Ravienomnoms

7. Stollen from Roxana at Roxana’s Home Baking

8. Cocoa mint shortbread from Tiffany at Comowater (that’s meeeee! :))

9. Rose syrup chocolate bark from Abeer at Cakewhiz

Written by

Tiffany M. Griffin is the woman behind Como Water, Washington DC’s premiere veg-centric cuisine consulting company. Through cooking classes, demonstrations, catering, and consultations, Como Water gives people the opportunity to learn how to prepare veg-centric cuisine that boasts maximum flavor, with minimal effort. Tiffany is quickly becoming a go-to expert on the future of veg-centric cuisine, and is a regular contributor to Como Water, the blog, as well as to vegetarian and vegan sites across the Internet. For over a decade, this self-taught, entrepreneurial expert has developed a set of tried and true techniques for making simple, delicious, and sometimes decadent veg-centric dishes. Featured on the Steve Harvey Show and other leading media outlets, Tiffany was born and raised in Springfield, MA. She then earned Bachelors degrees in Psychology and Communications from Boston College and a PhD in Social Psychology from the University of Michigan. She now resides in Washington DC, where she has worked in the US Senate and at a federal agency on issues around health, food, nutrition, and international food aid/development, and of course, as the owner of Como Water. Tiffany gets culinary inspiration from the food she grew up eating, and from her travels throughout Latin America, the Caribbean, Western Europe, and Sub-Saharan Africa. She is dedicated to sharing her wealth of knowledge on veg-centric cuisine with others and to help others live by her mantra—love life, live long, and eat veg-centric cuisine!

Comments

  1. what a scrumptious looking shortbread hun!
    i would have used tonnes of peppermint extract to give it that minty flavor but using tea leaves was a SUPERB idea! i can’t wait to try this out next time 🙂

    thanks for being a part of my christmas event Tiffany ….much appreciated 🙂

  2. I also adore shortbread Tiffany, but you’ve given it a really unusual twist – love how you’ve used the peppermint tealeaves. How clever! Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!

  3. Fantastic shortbread! I have never tried to make shortbread… but you make me want to. 🙂

  4. I love shortbread, peppermint, and chocolate….so I am quite sure I would love this recipe.

    Well done Tiffany!

  5. Perfect holiday shortbread! And I can’t wait to hear your news…sounds like lots of good things happening in your life, Tiffany! Merry Christmas, my friend!

  6. This looks yummalicious Tiffany :)! It would be perfect for dipping in coffee! Hope you are having a wonderful Holiday season!

  7. What a cute shortbread! Looks super good!

  8. I adore the pairing of mint and chocolate! Your shortbread is a splendid holiday treat!

  9. Merry Christmas, Tiffany! Look forward to your news. Shortbread looks and sounds delicious! Lovely pics!

  10. I love the addition of peppermint tea! this must make this extra special
    I look forward to giving this a try

  11. HI Tiffany!!!
    This is one delicious shortbread… I love the flavors!

  12. Thanks for the comments everyone!