Cranberry Shortbread

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup finely chopped dried cranberries or cherries
• 6 ounces of white baking chocolate bar

Directions

1. Set the oven to 325 degrees F and position a rack in the middle. In a large mixing bowl, add the room temperature butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla, flour, and salt, then work everything together with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together without becoming overly soft or whipped. Fold in the dried cranberries.
2. Press the dough into an 8-inch square baking pan so it takes on a neat square shape, then turn that square out onto a cutting board. Slice it into long strips that are 1-inch wide, then cut the strips crosswise in half to make sixteen to eighteen cookies, each roughly 1- by 4-inches. Move the cookies to a baking sheet lined with parchment.
3. Bake the cookies until the undersides are only starting to color, about 20 minutes. Set the pan on a cooling rack and leave it until the cookies can be handled, about 20 minutes.
4. As the cookies bake, chop the chocolate into small pieces, 1/4 inch or smaller. Add 1" of water to a small saucepan and warm it until it simmers, making sure it does not boil. Put the chocolate in a small stainless steel bowl and rest the bowl over the simmering water.
5. Be patient and let the chocolate sit until it looks like it has barely begun to melt, with the edges turning sticky. With a rubber spatula, stir gently until the chocolate looks melted but still has a few small bits remaining. Take the bowl off the saucepan and set it on a paper towel to catch any moisture on the bottom, so water does not get into the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is fully smooth and melted; it should look glossy rather than grainy.
6. Transfer the melted chocolate to a ziplock bag, snip a very small piece from one corner, and squeeze the chocolate over the cooled cookies.