Ginger Chocolate Shortbread

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

Steps:

• 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
• Place soft butter and superfine sugar in a mixing bowl and
• using an electric mixer
• blend butter and sugar together until fluffy
• Slowly stir in flour
• then chopped ginger
• then chopped chocolate
• The mixture will be crumbly
• 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
• Dough keeps well in the fridge for several days
• so theres no need to bake the whole batch up at one time if youre pressed for time
• When ready to bake
• preheat oven to 300F
• 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 chefs knife; arrange about two inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet and bake in centre of oven for 18 to 20 minutes
• Cool cooked cookies on a wire rack; do not store until completely cool