Chocolate Shortcrust Pockets
Prep. Time
45 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Servings
25 cookies
Difficulty
Challenging
Soy-Free, dairy-free, egg-free, Nut-Free
This delightful dessert features my amazing shortcrust dough, which guarantees a fantastic treat no matter what you fill it with (or top it). What makes these chocolate-filled "pockets" extra special is that kids absolutely LOVE them. This recipe uses the same delicious shortcrust dough as the roulade, and I just can’t get enough of it! The dough is incredibly smooth and easy to work with, and it always produces such a tempting result—especially for kids! It’s definitely worth making both types of desserts.
Ingredients
10oz (280g) all-purpose flour
3oz (100g) sugar powder (confectioner's sugar)
3oz (100g) vegan butter (follow my recipe here, or use a store-bought option; for a soy-free recipe, use butter that is labeled as free of this allergen), cut to cubes
1 tsp vanilla extract
1.8oz (50ml) plant-based milk (for a soy- and nut-free recipe, use milk that is labeled as free of these allergens)
For filling use either a hazelnut chocolate spread (unless a nut-free recipe is needed), or any kind of thick spread you like that can go into the oven and survive the heat!
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (170°C).
In a food processor with a steel blade, combine the flour, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla extract. Process until the mixture becomes crumbly. Gradually add the milk, pulsing as you go, until the dough starts to come together in soft, smooth chunks.
Remove the dough from the processor and knead it briefly by hand until it’s a smooth ball.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about 0.5 cm (0.2 inches) thick. Use a cup with a 2-2.5 inch diameter (or a circular cookie cutter) to cut out uniform circles.
Place 1 teaspoon of your favorite vegan hazelnut chocolate spread (or any thick spread you prefer) in the center of one dough circle. Be sure to choose a spread that’s thick enough to avoid leakage during baking.
Take another dough circle (without any spread) and gently place it on top of the chocolate-filled one. Align the edges as best as you can and then carefully press around the edges to seal the chocolate inside, creating a "pocket."
Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges and bottoms are golden brown. The tops will remain light in color—that’s perfectly fine!
Let the pockets cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
For a nut-free option, use any nut-free filling.
The Latest Bite
No-Bake Pistachio Ice Cream Cake
I love ice-cream cakes, and it is so hard to find vegan ones in stores, so I knew at some point I'd want to try and whip a recipe up, but one thing that's always a factor for me is whether or not it'll be a time-consuming project or not. If I need to use my mixer, food processor or oven, it means I need to plan for more dishes and more time spent on this, and that's where I sometimes hold off on exploring and developing new recipes. I was not only aiming for an easy-to-make recipe here, but also one that requires very few ingredients and as allergen-friendly as possible. This makes it a store-in-the-freezer dessert for when I have unexpected guests, or when we are on the road and want an indulgent treat.
Made primarily from raw pistachio butter, coconut cream and almond flour, this easy no-bake cake is elemental and holds texture and flavor impressively. Compliments are guaranteed!