Walnut Shortbread Cookies with Raspberry Jam and Chocolate Drizzle
Have you ever had the itch to create a cookie made just for serving as dessert with Port wine? Cookies and wine might not seem a natural match to many but they can be a delicious end to a meal if the right cookie is selected. Not too sweet, maybe with a hint of fruit and/or chocolate and the resulting pairing with a sweeter dessert wine like Fonseca’s Bin 27 can be an elegant end to your meal. That’s what I’ve done by combining a walnut shortbread cookie with just a hint of raspberry preserves that are then drizzled with a dark chocolate. None of the elements are overly sweet but the combined flavors are perfect for pairing with Port.
If you have, (or even if not!), now is the perfect time to get serious! KitchenAid and Food & Wine are sponsoring a contest with a very grand prize. Create the best cookie to pair with Fonseca Bin 27 Port for a chance to win two tickets to the 2014 Aspen Food & Wine Classic, a KitchenAid Freestanding Induction Range and a Pro Line Series 7-Qt Bowl Lift Stand Mixer. There is also a People’s Choice award: the entry who receives the most votes on the Facebook will receive a KitchenAid Pro Line Series 7-Qt Bowl Lift Stand Mixer.
Did I mention that the judges will be Jacques Torres and Dorie Greenspan? I don’t know Jacques but I just love Dorie; she’s oh so talented and oh so adorable and we’ve both been on Twitter for a couple of years and she is just as warm and friendly as she looks; meeting her would be a real treat. Just for this challenge, Dorie created a “round brownie” called a Broundie. She also hosted a Twitter chat with KitchenAid and Fonseca BIN 27 recently; if interested you can read through the feed of that event.
Are you ready to Rumble?
Cookie Rumble is running now until November 15th, so the timeline is relatively short. Get your entries submitted NOW!
You Want More?
Alright then! One of my readers will win this KitchenAid Seven Speed Mixer with a Whisk Attachment. By the way…we are a KitchenAid family. My mixer is now 28 years old and going strong; I am not kidding when I say I will sob the day it gives up; the memories that machine and I have are many. Every birthday cake, every cookie, everything…me and my old girl. My daughter has both the standard mixer for everyday baking (SO thankful; that machine has SAVED me while my stuff is in storage and my home is being finished) and the larger 7-Qt model since she makes a lot of bread. Why on earth would we need a hand mixer? Multi-tasking R Us! I’ve been using an old handheld mixer when it’s time for double duty; cake mix in the main bowl but I just need to whip up a 1/4 cup of whipping cream? I put the handheld into action. That very old handheld I might add. When I was asked to share this challenge with my readers, I was offered this KitchenAid Hand Mixer to play with and I just love it. Much stronger than my old one, sure, but what I LOVE the most? The whisk attachment. I’m a whiskaholic, I confess; having a small handheld mixer with a whisk attachment..nirvana for a multi-tasking KitchenAid fanatic! While I was mixing the shortbread cookies in a larger unit, the smaller handheld mixer was perfect for whisking the jam while I heated it (yes, I LOVE having a hand mixer for work at the stove!). Just leave a comment for a chance to win your own!
About Fonseca Bin 27 Port
My first inclination with these cookies was to use my favorite Bonne Maman’s Cherry Preserves for the glaze; but in the end went with the Raspberry Preserves; sort of matching the raspberry notes of the port. I just love chocolate and raspberry together and the results were great. I think either jam would produce the same wonderful result so don’t be limited by just one! I took these cookies to a friends house last night for Halloween with a bottle of the Fonseca port and they were loved by all; now that’s my kind of cookie!
Walnut Shortbread Cookies with Raspberry Jam and a Chocolate Drizzle
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup butter softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ cup finely chopped walnuts
For the Raspberry Topping and Chocolate Drizzle:
- 1 ½ cup seedless Raspberry Jam
- 1 Tbsp Port wine
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- 2 Tbsp butter
Instructions
For the Cookies:
- Resift the flour with the baking powder.
- Cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually blend in the flour mixture.
- Stir in the walnuts.
- Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
- Roll out onto floured board to 1/4" thickness. Cut into any shape.
- Bake on un-greased cookie sheets at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned.
To Finish with Raspberry Jam and Chocolate Drizzle:
- If necessary, mix the jam in a food processor to incorporate any large pieces. Put into a small heavy saucepan and bring the jam to a simmer over medium-high heat.
- Stir constantly until the jam begins thicken slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, add the Port wine, stirring to mix thoroughly and cool slightly. Dip one side of each cookie into the jam and place on cookie trays to cool.
- Place the dark chocolate chips and butter in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until the chips and butter are completely melted.
- Drizzle the cookies with chocolate.
- Chill (best if kept chilled until time to serve).
Yes!! I need to make those Biscotti cookies – they look so ah-mazing!
Your shortbread looks and sounds wonderful Barb. Suspect it will be wonderful with the port!
I like whipping cream with a hand mixer!
When I’m reading a recipe and see “use a handmixer”, I’m like oh darn, I don’t have one.
this mixer looks great! awesome contest!
Walnut is a very sophisticated way to go with a port pairing. Very nice. GREG
The hand held mixer is great for when you must mix in something other than the bowl that the stand is with. I mix potatoes for mashing and also some sort of cream soups and also when you just need a little and not a lot mixed.
I’m an email subscriber.
There are just many times when it’s too much trouble to pull out the big girl mixer, though I just got it and am glad I did. My old handheld has just never “cut it” for me.
I could not live without the big girl mixer but hand an extra hand(held) is very nice. Enjoy both!
I saw this contest and was going to enter. I actually just let is slip my mind. I’m not a port drinker although I’ve only had it a handful of times but these shortbreads seems like a perfect friend to the rich flavors of port.
Still time…go for it!
I’ve had my kitchenaid mixer since 1988 – it was a wedding shower gift given by 6 of my mom’s friends. It outlasted the marriage by a long stretch.
Hehe…what you said? Me too!
And also subscribed to your email! I really would like a mixer.
Following you on Pinterest. 🙂
Following on twitter and tweeted.
I liked your facebook page, too 🙂
I would replace my hands as mixers with this!
I’m an email subscriber.
I would make a 3-layer chocolate cake first.
What an interesting cookie, can’t wait to buy some port and make it.
Barbara, what a divine little treat to enjoy with port. And a great giveaway!
Yum shortbread! Those look delicious!
OMG would I love to win all of that! Fun! I got in the habit of eating cookies with dessert wines in Italy where it is common and isn’t it a wonderful tradition! I love the idea of yours but hmmmm I am a freak for Bonne Maman Cherry Preserves – I literally eat them every single morning and always have a spare jar in my cupboard just in case! Fabulously good! But now I better put on my cookie thinking cap!
And what would I do with a hand mixer? What wouldn’t I do with a hand mixer. I use one every day. But if this went to my mom’s then I’d be able to bake for her when I am home on vacation.
We haven’t much been into port, but have several friends who are. And of course when we have dinner at their houses we always have some at the end of the evening. Port actually goes quite well with so many desserts, although you certainly don’t want to get them too sweet. Really interesting contest (great prizes!). And your cookies? Well, I love shortbread, and topping it with jam and that drizzle of chocolate? Perfect!
Been brainstorming on this one for awhile now. I guess I need to get with it before I leave next week. Your cookie looks amazing!
Good giveaway, great cookie and fun contest! I’ve always wanted to go to Aspen for the food and wine festival! In any case, my handheld mixer that I had from college, and had only two speeds left on it, disappeared with my son. It never came back. I always used it to whip cream, and I miss it! Hate getting out the big Kitchen Aid for that, but I have discovered that an immersion blender works OK with a small amount of cream.
That’s my favorite port!
I cook with port often but I’ve never ever tried to pair a cookie with it. Yours look quite extravagant. I have envy.