Espresso Burnt Sugar Shortbread

I always get inspired and want to write a blog post whenever I have breakfast at this wonderful little cafe/restaurant called the Mud House. I don’t know why the place feels so special to me--maybe it’s the cozy atmosphere and good coffee. Maybe it’s the fact that I always have eggs there and eggs are just one of the best things ever.  Perhaps the food reminds me of food I would make myself at home. Anyway, this morning I had pork confit and chorizo hash with chickpeas, cauliflower, and peppers. And poached eggs. You can’t forget the poached eggs. I swear I could write a whole book about my love of eggs.

Regardless, the last time I was home I went on a baking spree and made these delicious espresso shortbread’s from the book Ovenly by Agatha Kulaga and Erin Patinkin. These treats are perfect with a hot cup of coffee as a little mid-afternoon pick-me-up. A note on Ovenly--this book is wonderful, definitely recommend it to inspire some spontaneous baking!

Espresso Burt Sugar Shortbread or

“The Sumptown Shorty”

from Ovenly 

yield 24 bars

Ingredients

{½ cup burnt sugar bits}

(recipe below)

           need 1 cup sugar

      For the Shortbread: 

{Softened butter, for greasing the rimmed sheet pan + 1 ½ cupss unsalted butter, at room temp / 1 cup + 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar /1 teaspoon salt /

2 Tablespoons cold-brew coffee (or fresh, strong expresso, cooked) / 

2 ¾ cups all purpose flour / 2 Tablespoons very finely ground espresso / 

turbinado sugar, for garnish }

Prepare the burnt sugar (recipe and pictures below.) 

Heavily butter the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 inch rimmed sheet pan.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a  paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), mix the 1 ½ cups butter, confections’ sugar and salt together on low speed for 10 seconds, and then increase to medium-high speed and blend until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. 

You want the butter mixture to be cold to the touch but not clumpy. Add the cold brew coffee at a low speed. Increase the speed to medium high and mix until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sidss of the bowl with a rubber spatula. 

In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour and ground espresso.

In a small bowl, mix ¼ cup of the flour mixture with the burnt sugar bits. 

With the machine off, add half ot he flour mixture to the butter mixture. Turn on low and mix about 30 seconds. Turn the machine off again, add the remanting half ot the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated, another 30 seconds. Add the coated burnt sugar bits and mix on low speed for another 5 seconds, or until incorporated. 

Press the dough evenly onto the prepared sheet pan. Palace a layer of plastic wrap on top and using a rolling pin, roll the dough to smooth the top and to ensure the dough is spread evenly on the rimmed sheet pan.

Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit and top the dough  with the turbinado sugar and place in the oven. Bake turning halfway thorugh for 18-20 mintues, or until the dough looks puffy and the middle is set. Let the shortbread cool completely before cutting it into 24, 2 inch squares.

To make the burnt sugar: 

 Line a 9x 13 rimeed sheet pan with parchment paper and spray it with nonstick cooking spray. 

 Pour the 1 cup of sugar into a heavy bottomed skillet, and heat over medium-hgih heta. Mix the sugar continuously with a wooden spoon until it has completely melted (no visible granules) and is dark golden brown. Do not burn the sugar. As you are stirring, break any sugar clumps apart with the wooden spoon. The entire process should take about 5 minutes.

 Carefully pour the melted sugar into the prepared rimmed sheet pan and using a ruber spatula, spread it out evenly.

Melt the burnt sugar cool and completely at room temp. once it has completely hardened, about 30 min, turn the hardened sugar out into a cutting borad. Using a knife, chisel or small hamemer, crack the sugar into bit sabout ¼ in inch size.

The burt sugar bits can be kept indefinitely in an airtight container stored in a cool, dry place.