• 2 c. All-purpose flour
• 1/2 c. Sugar
• 1 pch Salt
• 16 Tbsp. Cool unsalted butter, cut into chunks
• 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
• 4 ounce Semisweet chocolate, minced
• 1 1/2 c. All-purpose flour
• 1/2 c. Powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp. Unsweetened cocoa pwdr
• 1/8 tsp Salt
• 12 Tbsp. Unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract combined with:
• 2 Tbsp. Instant coffee crystals, (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with baking parchment.
2. Make the vanilla shortbread: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. With a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the dry ingredients till it is proportionately distributed and the size of small crumbs.
3. Stir in the vanilla and mix the dough, shaping it with your hands till it comes together to create a ball. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and roll it out till 1/4 inch thick. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
4. Make the chocolate shortbread: In a ceramic or possibly glass bowl covered with plastic wrap, heat the chocolate in a microwave oven on High for 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, till smooth. Let cold to lukewarm. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, and salt. Put the butter in a bowl and whip till light and fluffy using the electric mixer on medium speed. Add in the melted chocolate and beat till smooth. Beat in the vanilla and instant coffee, if using. Add in the dry ingredients and combine till a dough forms. Gather the dough into a disk and flatten it slightly. On a lightly floured surface, roll it out till 1/4 inch thick.
5. Should the dough be too soft to roll, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigeratetill hard.)
6. Place the chocolate dough on top of the plain shortbread dough and with your hands gently but firmly roll the doughs into a log. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and refrigeratefor about 1 hour, or possibly till hard. With a sharp knife, cut the chilled dough into slices about 1/2 inch thick and arrange them on the prepared cookie sheet, leaving 1 inch between. Bake the cookies for about 20 min, or possibly till golden brown around the edges. Remove the cookies with a spatula to wire racks to cold. Store in any sealed container, such as a tin or possibly jar. The cookies can also be frzn, wrapped first in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil.
7. Make 2 dozen cookies