Shortbread, a traditional Scottish sweet treat, captivates taste buds with its melt-in-your-mouth texture and buttery flavor. This versatile treat serves as an ideal base for numerous variations, inviting experimentation and customization to suit diverse preferences. From classic plain shortbread to exciting infusions of flavors and textures, this article embarks on a culinary journey, exploring the boundless possibilities of basic shortbread and guiding readers through the steps to create enticing variations that will tantalize the senses and bring joy to any occasion.
Let's cook with our recipes!
SHORTBREAD, 10 WAYS
Shortbread is not only one of the easiest desserts you can possibly make, it's also one of the most adaptable. As long as you keep the butter-to-flour ratio constant (1 stick butter to 1 cup flour), everything else is negotiable. You can reduce or increase the sugar and salt, or mix in any type of flavoring from citrus zest to vanilla to herbs and spices. You can even alter the type of flour, swapping in some rice flour for all-purpose flour for increased crunch, or cornmeal for a nubby texture. Just be cautious about adding liquid to the dough; any more than one tablespoon could interfere with the texture. Here we give a master recipe and nine variations to play around with.
Provided by Melissa Clark
Categories cookies and bars, dessert
Time 1h
Yield 24 servings
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Heat oven to 325 degrees. Pulse together flour, sugar and salt in a food processor. Add butter and pulse to fine crumbs. Pulse a few more times until some of the crumbs start to come together, but don't overprocess; the dough should be somewhat crumbly. (You can also mix the dough in a bowl using two knives or a pastry cutter.)
- Press dough into an even layer in an ungreased 8- or 9-inch-square baking pan, or a 9-inch pie pan. Prick dough all over with a fork. Bake until golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes for the 9-inch square or pie pan, 45 to 50 minutes for the 8-inch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Cut into squares, bars or wedges while still warm.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 130, UnsaturatedFat 2 grams, Carbohydrate 14 grams, Fat 8 grams, Fiber 0 grams, Protein 1 gram, SaturatedFat 5 grams, Sodium 61 milligrams, Sugar 6 grams, TransFat 0 grams
BASIC SHORTBREAD
This wonderful recipe for basic shortbread can be used to make Black-and-White Triangles, and Candied Ginger Shortbread Wedges.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes Cookie Recipes
Yield Makes 8 to 10 wedges
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter an 8 1/2-inch round cake or springform pan. Sift together flour and salt in a small bowl. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium, cream butter until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add sugar, and continue to beat until very light in color and fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary, about 2 minutes more. Add flour mixture, and beat on low, scraping bowl if necessary, until flour is just incorporated and dough sticks together when squeezed.
- Pat dough into prepared pan. Use a paring knife to score dough into wedges; prick all over in even intervals with a wooden skewer or fork.
- Bake until firm in the center and just starting to color, about 50 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Cut into wedges. Cookies will keep, in an airtight container, at room temperature 3 weeks.
CLASSIC SHORTBREAD COOKIES IN 4 INGREDIENTS WITH ADDED 1 INGREDIENT VARIATIONS
Provided by Claire Robinson
Categories dessert
Time 1h4m
Yield approximately 65 cookies
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Add the flour, salt, and powdered sugar to a food processor and pulse to combine. Add in the vanilla, the butter and the 1 teaspoon of water. Pulse together just until a dough is formed. Put the dough on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a log, about 2 1/2 inches in diameter and 5 inches long. Tightly twist each end of the wrap in opposite directions. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Slice the log into 1/3-inch thick disks. Arrange on nonstick cookie sheets, parchment lined or silpat lined baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake until the edges are just light brown, about 12 to 14 minutes, rotating the pans half way through the baking process. Remove from the oven and let cool on the cookie sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and cool until room temperature. Enjoy!
- Variations:
- Pulse together the tea with the flour and salt in a food processor just until the tea is in small pieces evenly distributed throughout the flour. Then add the powdered sugar, vanilla, the butter and the 1 teaspoon of water. Continue as instructed above.
- Pulse the toasted and chopped pecans into the dough and then shape into a flattened round disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. On a flour dusted surface, roll the dough out to approximately 1/3-inch thick. (If the dough is too hard to roll or begins to crack, let it rest at room temperature for a few minutes until pliable.) With a sharp knife, cut the dough into rectangle shapes about 1 by 3-inches. Arrange on the prepared baking sheets and follow the cooking instructions as above. Dust slightly cooled cookies with powdered sugar through a fine mesh strainer.
SHORTBREAD
I live in Missouri, but many family recipes come from New Zealand where I was born. My parents moved there when I was a year old, so I have a "Down Under" heritage. This easy shortbread recipe brings back warm memories of my childhood, and I'm going to make sure they're passed on to the next generation in my family...no matter where they live! -Allen Swenson, Camdenton, Missouri
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Desserts
Time 25m
Yield 5 dozen.
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- In large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Combine flour, cornstarch and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Roll dough into a 15x2x1-in. rectangle; chill. , Preheat oven to 325°. Cut into 1/4-in. slices; place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Prick with a fork. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 57 calories, Fat 3g fat (2g saturated fat), Cholesterol 8mg cholesterol, Sodium 44mg sodium, Carbohydrate 7g carbohydrate (3g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 0 protein.
EASY BASIC SHORTBREAD
This buttery cookie gets better with age: It can be stored up to a month, and over that time its flavor deepens. Dip the tips of the cookies in melted chocolate for a decorative touch.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes Cookie Recipes
Yield Makes 36 bars
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-by-1-inch baking pan, and line bottom with parchment paper. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add salt and vanilla, and beat to combine. Add flour, 1 cup at a time, beating on low speed until just combined.
- Press dough into prepared pan, leveling and smoothing the top. Using a dough scraper or the back of a knife, cut dough lengthwise into nine strips, each slightly less than 1 inch wide. Cut the strips crosswise into thirty-six 3-inch bars. Using the tines of a fork or a wooden skewer, create a decorative pattern on the surface.
- Bake shortbread until evenly pale golden, but not browned, 70 to 85 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool. Invert pan, and remove parchment. Turn shortbread over, and carefully break, or cut with a serrated knife, into bars. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
BASIC SHORTBREAD WITH VARIATIONS
A lovely way to enjoy these great cookies is with French Vanilla coffee. The yield of this recipe will depend on the thickness you roll it to and size that to cut them into so don't take the info for yield and baking time as gospel. Just follow the given instructions and they will be fine. Note* after 2 reviews agree, I have removed the unsalted butter. Please use regular salted butter.
Provided by Annacia
Categories Dessert
Time 35m
Yield 16 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a bowl, combine flour and salt.
- In a separate bowl, cream butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add sugar and continue beating until smooth. Stir in vanilla.
- Add flour and salt to mixture and stir until smooth.
- Divide dough into two flat disks roughly an inch thick and wrap in plastic.
- Chill for an hour.
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- On a slightly floured surface, roll out dough to desired thickness.
- Shape with lightly floured cookie cutters. Place on cookie sheets and refrigerate 20 more minutes.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until cookies are firm without browning.
- Cool on a rack.
- Now for the Variations on the Theme:.
- White-Chocolate Dipped:.
- Roll out dough roughly 1/3 of an inch thick. Cut into rounds and place cookies onto prepared baking sheets. Refrigerate and bake as per above instructions. After cooling, melt 6 ounces of white chocolate in a double boiler. Dip cookies into white chocolate and return to rack. Let chocolate set before handling.
- Cranberry Clementine:.
- Prepare one batch of basic shortbead dough, omitting vanilla extract. Work 1/2 cup finely chopped dried cranberries and 2 tbs grated clementine zest into dough. Roll out dough 1/2 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes. Refrigerate and bake as per above instructions.
- Pecan Macadamia Bites:.
- Add 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans and 1/4 cup finely chopped macadamia nuts to dough. Scoop out tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. Flatten each ball between your palms into bite-sized disks about an inch across. Place on prepared cookie sheets, refrigerate and bake as per instructions above. After cooking, dust cookies with icing sugar through a fine wire strainer.
- Sugar Stars:.
- Roll out dough roughly 1/3 of an inch thick. Cut into stars and place cookies onto prepared baking sheets. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush tops of cookies with egg white and sprinkle each cookie with coarse white sugar. Refrigerate and bake as per above instructions.
- Enjoy!
BASIC SHORTBREAD RECIPE BY TASTY
Here's what you need: butter, flour, corn starch, sugar
Provided by The Weird Cook
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Soften the butter and add sugar.
- Then, add the cornstarch and flour.
- Mix!
- Put in a lightly-buttered tin and bake at 350°F for 15 mins.
- Serve.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 393 calories, Carbohydrate 42 grams, Fat 23 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 3 grams, Sugar 8 grams
SHORTBREAD
This is a compilation of several Shortbread recipes I have from British cookbooks. I have been to England three times and REAL shortbread is a favorite. It should use real butter and not be TOO sweet.
Provided by Norita Solt
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European UK and Ireland English
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
- Line a baking sheet with greaseproof (parchment) paper. Sift the flour and rice flour into a medium mixing bowl. Add the sugar and mix.
- Cut butter into pieces and rub into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture begins to bind together. Knead into soft dough.
- Roll the dough into an 8 inch round (or for exact round, mold it in an 8 inch cake pan). Place on baking sheet. Using a fork, prick top and make tine marks along edge. Using a table knife, score top with wedge marks. (This is where it will break when cooled)
- Bake 45 minutes or until pale golden in color. Sprinkle a little superfine sugar over top and cool on baking sheet. Cut into wedges. Keeps for weeks in airtight tin.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 275.8 calories, Carbohydrate 31.3 g, Cholesterol 40.7 mg, Fat 15.7 g, Fiber 0.8 g, Protein 2.8 g, SaturatedFat 9.8 g, Sodium 2.5 mg, Sugar 8.4 g
Tips for Making Perfect Shortbread:
- Use cold butter: This will help keep the shortbread from spreading too much in the oven.
- Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy: This will help incorporate air into the dough, making the shortbread light and crumbly.
- Add the flour gradually: This will help prevent the dough from becoming tough.
- Chill the dough before baking: This will help the shortbread hold its shape in the oven.
- Bake the shortbread in a preheated oven: This will help ensure that the shortbread bakes evenly.
- Let the shortbread cool completely before cutting it: This will help prevent the shortbread from crumbling.
Conclusion:
Shortbread is a delicious and versatile cookie that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It is perfect for any occasion, from casual gatherings to formal parties. With its simple ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions, shortbread is a great recipe for both novice and experienced bakers. So next time you are looking for a tasty treat, give shortbread a try. You won't be disappointed!
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