Pistachio Shortbread Cookies (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Biscuit Base

01 - 120g (1 cup) pistachios, de-shelled
02 - 250g (2 cups) plain flour
03 - 227g (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
04 - 100g (½ cup) white sugar

→ Toppings

05 - 113g (4 oz) bittersweet chocolate

# Instructions:

01 - In a bowl, cream the softened butter until smooth. Mix in the sugar until just blended—don’t whip it. Add the flour slowly, blending until the mix looks like rough crumbs.
02 - Coarsely cut the pistachios. Save ⅓ for decorating, and add the rest into the dough. Use your hands to knead gently until everything’s even, but don’t overdo it.
03 - Roll the dough into a log the size of a paper towel tube. Cover it snugly in plastic wrap, fixing the edges, and roll to smoothen. Chill in the fridge for an hour till it firms up.
04 - While preheating to 340°F/170°C, cut the cooled dough into ½-inch thick slices. Arrange rounds on a baking tray lined with parchment. Let bake for about 12–18 minutes till edges start to turn golden. Leave to cool on the tray for 10 minutes before moving to a rack.
05 - Using short microwave bursts (about 30 seconds each), melt dark chocolate until smooth. Dip half of each cookie in, lay them on parchment, and sprinkle with leftover pistachios. For extra flavor, sprinkle sea salt if you’d like.

# Notes:

01 - Dough can be prepped in advance and chilled for a maximum of three days before baking.
02 - Real chocolate melts better than chocolate chips—so grab a good bar.
03 - Microwave tempering works even without a thermometer if you're careful.