Chocolate Chip Shortbread

I've got big news...  after more than 10 months of (very impatiently😬) waiting - our 501c3 has been accepted and the Bold Springs Kitchen is an official non-profit entity!!!  I'm not sure if you can tell from my overuse of exclamation points but I'm over the moon excited about the doors that this will open up for the community kitchen. 🤗

I feel like I owe you a brief recap of the Bold Springs Kitchen since it's been a while since I've blogged about this former school cafeteria building, located on the Grace Monroe church campus that we're planning to renovate into a community kitchen. 
     * One of the goals for this project is to create a shared kitchen space for members of our community who want to either launch or expand their food based business.  We believe that providing an affordable, rentable, licensed commercial kitchen space that is accessible to entrepreneurs will help generate economic growth and development throughout our community.  
     * We also want to create a space where we can educate our community about food preparation through culinary classes.  We have an amazing studio kitchen planned with the most incredible 19 foot kitchen island organized into individual cooking stations.  We want to invite members of the community to gather here and take a cooking classes or use the space to work as a group to prepare food to share with members of our community who might be struggling with food insecurities.  
      * The expansive space is also going to be used for community events.  The large open room will be the perfect place to host church events, community groups,  small gatherings and private parties.  

I'm just so excited by this project and all of the possibilities and potential that it has to make a positive impact on this community.  I have a big vision for the space but I also have to keep in mind that the reality is that the building is in desperate need of ... well, everything. 😅  New flooring, walls, roof, windows, doors, bathrooms, heating and air conditioning systems, electric, plumbing, appliances and kitchen equipment for starters.😬 The list of things to be done in this building seems to grow longer everyday but for now I'm celebrating the fact that we've achieved the the first step to getting all of these things accomplished, which was to get our 501c3 approved.  

​If I've learned anything from going through the process of trying to organize the renovation of an abandoned 1950's school building into a community kitchen, it's that patience is vital.  A trait that I've not been particularly good at exhibiting in my life.🤪   Even my bread baking and cake decorating would probably benefit from having a little more patience in my life. 

Today I wanted to share a special shortbread recipe.  Mine features a sprinkling of mini chocolate chips but you could easily swap out the chocolate for nuts, dried fruits or sprinkles.  Or just enjoy the sweet buttery cookies without any mix ins at all.  Just a simple, crispy treat without all the fuss. 😋

Chocolate Chip Shortbread 
1 cup butter, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour 
1/4 cup cornstarch
​3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
coarse sparkling sugar

Beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  

Beat in vanilla and salt.

Add the flour and cornstarch and mix until just combined. 

Stir in chocolate chips. 

Divide dough in half.

Press each dough half into a parchment lined 9" round cake pan.  

Sprinkle with coarse sugar and prick with a fork.  

Bake 28-30 minutes at 325. 

Cool 15 minutes in pan.  Remove using parchment paper and cut into 8 wedges. 

Ciao!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe