SHORTBREAD WITH CHOCOLATE

This crisp, buttery cookie is easy to make, and goes with everything. Dunked in coffee, coated in a confectioners’ sugar glaze, or standing alone, shortbread is downright delicious. I found a slight drizzle of chocolate just might make this cookie absolutely perfect, and I took some pleasure in treating the pan of cookies like an abstract painting. makes 30 to 35 cookies

1 cup (142 g) all-purpose flour

⅓ cup (38 g) confectioners’ sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped

8 tablespoons (1 stick; 113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 1-inch pieces

CHOCOLATE TOPPING

2 ounces (57 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, combine the flour, confectioners’ sugar, salt, and vanilla bean seeds on low speed. Add the butter one piece at a time and mix on medium until it is incorporated and the dough starts to form a ball. Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, shape into a flat disc, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Lightly flour a work surface and roll the dough into a large, ½-inch-thick square. Using a 2-inch biscuit or cookie cutter, cut out circles. (Any dough scraps can be rewrapped and chilled while the cookies are baking.) Gently slide a metal spatula underneath each round and transfer it to a prepared baking sheet. Place 12 on each sheet.

Bake one sheet at a time, 15 to 17 minutes, until the edges begin to brown.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack and allow the cookies to cool completely before drizzling with chocolate.

FOR THE CHOCOLATE: Put about 1 inch of water in a medium saucepan and bring it to a gentle boil.

Melt 1 ounce of the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over the pan of boiling water, being careful not to let the water touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir constantly until just melted. Add the remaining 1 ounce and stir until the chocolate is completely smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

TO DECORATE: Keep the cookies on the baking sheet. Spoon the room-temperature chocolate into a zipper-lock bag and close to seal, then snip the tip to make a very small opening. If the opening is too big, the chocolate will flow out too fast. Drizzle the chocolate back and forth over the cookies, making criss-cross patterns (or any other pattern you like). Let the chocolate set before removing the cookies from the pan (unless, of course, you need to eat one right away).