Shell Cookies / 貝殼曲奇

I was browsing SOGO Club's bookstore one day when I spotted a really pretty book on baking cakes and cookies,  曲奇蛋糕cook得起 2 by Albert Tsui. What got me even more excited was that the book was bilingual (Chinese/English) so I didn't have to pester anyone to translate for me. That had always been a deterrent for me in buying Chinese baking books. I usually like baking on a whimsy and what I decide to bake is quite random. If I need to find a translator and get the translated recipe then the moment is already gone. =P

Alas… how true the saying that "you can't judge a book by its cover"... recipes in this book are really hit and miss. These shell cookies turned out ok, but I feel they were missing… "something".  I'll let you know if I figure out what that "something" is. =P

Anyway, as you might be able to tell from the picture, I had to pipe these cookies to give them some shape. They was supposed to look like shells, hence the name "shell cookies".  But I really could not figure out how to make them into a shell shape… unless they're mussel shells. O well… you'll be happy to know that unlike that torturous butter cookies piping incident, I didn't need to kill any piping bags this time. I bought a plastic piping tool from Taiwan which was relatively easy to use and survived the ordeal with me.

Ingredients:
250g butter
100g icing sugar
1 egg
300g plain flour
Semi-sweet chocolate chips

Method:

1. Sift flour. Set aside
2. Place butter and icing sugar in a stainless steel mixing bowl. Whisk with electric mixer until light yellow.
3. Add egg. Whisk evenly with electric mixer.
4. Fold in sifted flour. Whisk evenly with electric mixer.
5. Rub with hands until all ingredients are completely combined.
6. Pipe shell shaped mixture on baking tray lined with baking paper.
7. Bake at 180C/350F for 15 min (or until lightly brown). Let cool.
8. Melt chocolate to sauce over hot water.
9. Dip each shell cookie in chocolate sauce. Let cool before serving.