Cherry Shortbread Sweet Hearts

Cherry Shortbread Sweet Hearts

Hi everybody :)
When I spotted this recipe, I knew I'll would be making them soon. They had two of my favorite things after all: chocolate and cherries, I couldn't resist :) Well, let's get it started...

Cherry Shortbread Sweet Hearts
1/2 cup maraschino cherries, well drained and chopped
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup finely chopped almonds
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
1/2 teaspoon shortening

Using paper towels, pat cherries dry. Set aside. In a medium bowl stir together flour and sugar. Cut in butter till mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 

Stir in cherries. Knead till well combined and nearly smooth.

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Using a 1 1/2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut dough into heart shapes. Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet, bake in a 325 oven for 20 to 25 minutes or till done. Remove the cookies from the cookie sheet and cool on a wire rack.

Evenly spread almonds on waxed paper; set aside. In a small heavy saucepan heat chocolate and shortening over low heat just till melted, stirring occasionally. Using a pastry brush, brush bottoms of cookies with chocolate mixture. Press cookies with chocolate sides down into almonds. Place cookies with chocolate-almond sides up on a wire rack, let stand till the chocolate is set. Makes about 18.

 Source: Better and Gardens Old-Fashioned Home Baking
 
What I Did and/or Think:
I doubled the recipe, added 1/4 teaspoon salt, refrigerated overnight and continue as directed baking half of recipe on my Silpat Baking Mat. I got 10 cookies.

I decided to have a little fun with some of the cookies by  putting chocolate on half and adding white chocolate too :)

The Taste: The cookies were buttery with a very mild sweet taste from the chocolate and the cherries. I wish the flavor of cherries were more pronounced, I think refrigerating the dough and adding a teaspoon of cherry flavor or liqueur would help. It also was a great idea to add the salt, or use a salted butter. All in all I think the cookies are worthy of a REPEAT with the minor adjustments.    

ENJOY! Come again...

Linked to:
Titus 2 Tuesday 
Kathe With an E You're Gonna Love It   
Tuesday-Talent-Show:  Chef In Training
Show Me What Ya Got   
Show and Share Wednesday Semi-Homemade Mom  
Bizzy Bake Recipe Box
Sugar & Spice and Everything Nice @Seven Thirty Three