Shortbread
Recipe: Shortbread
From: the Metropolitan pastry dept. when I worked with my sister there
Serves: makes 2-3 dozen cookies
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into tablespoon chunks (DO NOT use margarine or salted butter)
1/2 c. white sugar
pinch salt
2 c. flour
In a stand mixer using the flat paddle, mix butter and sugar on low speed for 15 seconds. Add salt and flour and continue mixing low until dough just pulls together (this always takes longer than I think it should).
Roll out to 1/4" thick on lightly floured counter. Use a small cookie cutter. You can reroll the scraps once or twice to maximize yield, but the more you handle the dough and the more flour you use, the more likely the cookies will be tough instead of crisp and tender.
Chill cookies in refrigerator for AT LEAST two hours. This is VERY important. If they are not cold going into the oven, they will melt and spread.
Heat oven to 275 degrees F. Place cookies on ungreased baking sheet - they can be close, but not touching. Bake about 25-30 minutes (sometimes a bit more) until firm and just turning golden. Let cool a few minutes before removing to cooling racks.
Notes:
This makes about 2-3 dozen, depending on how large your cookie cutter is and how much you reroll. The batch size can be doubled, but no more or the mixer won't handle it well. I like to make 2 or 3 varieties at a time, mixing them up one by one, rolling, cutting, and then mixing the next. You can stack the cut cookies on a baking sheet, separating them with layers of waxed paper, to save room in your refrigerator. A hand mixer can be used, but a stand mixer is definitely easier. Absolutely do not use margarine - I confess to preferring margarine as a spread, but for baking only butter will do, especially something like the plain shortbread where butter is the primary flavor.
Variations (add additional ingredients with the flour):
Clove: add 1 tsp. ground cloves
Pecan: add 1/2 c. finely ground toasted pecans
Ginger-Pepper: add 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper and 2 T. minced crystallized ginger
Orange: add zest of 1 orange, minced, and a little extract
Lavender: add 1/2 to 1 tsp. minced dried lavender
From: the Metropolitan pastry dept. when I worked with my sister there
Serves: makes 2-3 dozen cookies
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into tablespoon chunks (DO NOT use margarine or salted butter)
1/2 c. white sugar
pinch salt
2 c. flour
In a stand mixer using the flat paddle, mix butter and sugar on low speed for 15 seconds. Add salt and flour and continue mixing low until dough just pulls together (this always takes longer than I think it should).
Roll out to 1/4" thick on lightly floured counter. Use a small cookie cutter. You can reroll the scraps once or twice to maximize yield, but the more you handle the dough and the more flour you use, the more likely the cookies will be tough instead of crisp and tender.
Chill cookies in refrigerator for AT LEAST two hours. This is VERY important. If they are not cold going into the oven, they will melt and spread.
Heat oven to 275 degrees F. Place cookies on ungreased baking sheet - they can be close, but not touching. Bake about 25-30 minutes (sometimes a bit more) until firm and just turning golden. Let cool a few minutes before removing to cooling racks.
Notes:
This makes about 2-3 dozen, depending on how large your cookie cutter is and how much you reroll. The batch size can be doubled, but no more or the mixer won't handle it well. I like to make 2 or 3 varieties at a time, mixing them up one by one, rolling, cutting, and then mixing the next. You can stack the cut cookies on a baking sheet, separating them with layers of waxed paper, to save room in your refrigerator. A hand mixer can be used, but a stand mixer is definitely easier. Absolutely do not use margarine - I confess to preferring margarine as a spread, but for baking only butter will do, especially something like the plain shortbread where butter is the primary flavor.
Variations (add additional ingredients with the flour):
Clove: add 1 tsp. ground cloves
Pecan: add 1/2 c. finely ground toasted pecans
Ginger-Pepper: add 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper and 2 T. minced crystallized ginger
Orange: add zest of 1 orange, minced, and a little extract
Lavender: add 1/2 to 1 tsp. minced dried lavender