MEXICAN CHOCOLATE AND PEPITA SHORTBREAD STARS

Mexican Chocolate and Pepita Shortbread Stars image

Yield Makes about 20

Number Of Ingredients 8

3/4 cup unsalted shelled pepitas, toasted
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 large egg white, lightly whisked

Steps:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grind pepitas in coffee grinder or blender until coarsely ground. Set aside. Stir chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth. Transfer chocolate to large bowl. Cool slightly.
Add butter, 1/2 cup sugar, ground cinnamon and salt to melted chocolate. Using electric mixer, beat until well blended. Add flour and ground pepitas and stir until just blended.
Roll out dough on floured surface to -inch thickness. Using 3-inch star cookie cutter dipped into flour, cut out cookies. Transfer cookies to ungreased baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Reroll dough scraps; cut out additional cookies and place on baking sheets. Brush cookies with egg white; sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake cookies until just firm to touch, about 18 minutes. Cool 5 minutes on baking sheets. Transfer to rack; cool.