Best 9 The Confederate Widows Shortbread Recipes

QUICK MILLIONAIRE SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with an even layer of coconut cooking spray. Lay the graham crackers out on the baking sheet in a single layer. Set aside.
• Add the chopped semisweet chocolate to a heatsafe mixing bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Add the coconut oil to the bowl with the chocolate and allow it to melt. Heat, stirring, until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Leave the mixture in the pan, over the water, until ready to use.
• In a separate bowl, add the chopped chocolate candies and candy bars and mix to combine.
• Spoon the dulce de leche into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 15-second increments, stirring in between to make sure it doesn't burn, until slightly softened and more spreadable. The time needed will vary on your microwave--roughly 30 to 90 seconds.
• Scoop the warm dulce de leche onto the graham cracker base and spread it nearly to the edges using an offset spatula.
• Give the melted chocolate and coconut oil mixture a quick stir and pour it over the dulce de leche, spreading it evenly with a clean offset spatula. Working quickly, sprinkle the candies over the top of the dulce de leche.
• Transfer the baking sheet to the fridge and chill, uncovered, until set, about 2 hours. Once chilled, carefully remove from the baking sheet to a cutting board. Using a long serrated knife, cut the slab into 30 roughly 2-inch squares. Smaller is better as they're rich! Serve cold or at room temperature.

MILLIONAIRE'S SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch square pan.
• Sift flour into a bowl. Rub in butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Mix in brown sugar and shape dough into a ball.
• Press dough into the prepared pan. Prick all over with a fork.
• Bake in the preheated oven until set and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool.
• Meanwhile, combine condensed milk, butter, and brown sugar in a nonstick saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until caramel comes to a boil. Reduce heat and cook until golden and pulling away from the sides of the pan, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Pour caramel over cooled crust and refrigerate until firm to the touch, about 1 hour.
• Place chocolate in top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes.
• Spread melted chocolate over cooled caramel. Refrigerate until chocolate hardens, about 15 minutes. Cut into bars.

SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add 3-3/4 cups flour; mix well. Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead for 5 minutes, adding enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Roll to 1/2-in. thickness. Cut into 3x1-in. strips. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Prick with fork. Bake until cookies are lightly browned, 20-25 minutes. Cool.

BEST TRADITIONAL SHORTBREAD RECIPE

Steps:

• Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well about 2-3 minutes. Stir in vanilla.
• Combine flour, cornstarch, and salt whisking to mix; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed after each addition. (Mixture will be stiff and may be crumbly)
• Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 8-10 times.
• Press dough into an un-greased 11x7 or 9x9 pan (if doubling, use a 15x10 in jellyroll pan, parchment lined if desired for easier removal).
• Prick dough at 1-inch intervals with a fork, and score (cut) into 2 ½ x 1 inch bars. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. Make sure to chill, this will firm the butterfat back up allow for that delectable light, crisp crumb you get with Scottish Shortbread. If desired, sprinkle with all natural sugar or sanding sugar before baking.
• Bake at 325F degrees for 35 minutes, until set and lightly browned. Cool in pan on a wire rack 5 minutes; cut shortbread into bars using previously scored lines. Cool completely before removing from pan. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week, or freeze up to 6 months. This recipe easily doubles!

THE CONFEDERATE WIDOW'S SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Sift the flour, cornstarch, powdered sugar and salt.
• Blend in the butter, to form a smooth mixture, stir in the vanilla.
• Divide the dough into 2 portions, roll, or pat, each portion into a 1/2" thick round.
• Outline six wedges into each round, with the tines of a fork.
• Place on a buttered, or parchment lined, cookie sheet.
• Bake 325 degrees, 20-25 minutes.
• Cool on wire racks.
• "Decorate tops with almonds, bits of cherries, angelica or citron", if desired. (I never do.).
• When cool, separate along the fork-outlined wedge lines.
• Store in an airtight container,.

FRASER SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place butter (not softened) in a large mixing bowl. Add flour, sugar and corn starch. Mix with hands (do not use a mixer) until blended and most of dough is like course cornmeal. It will be very lumpy.
• Spread a portion of the dough into the bottom of a glass pie pan and press firmly into the pan. Add dough until the thickness is about 1/2 inch thick.
• Place in oven and bake until edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and use a fork to create perforations. Shortbread will break easily when cooled. Remove from pie pan by placing a plate to cover, then flipping over - shortbread will fall out in one piece.

GREAT-AUNT ANNIE'S TRADITIONAL SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Spray a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar. Stir in vanilla. With mixer on low speed, slowly add flour. Mix until well combined.
• Evenly spread cookie dough into prepared tart pan. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sprinkle shortbread with sanding sugar. Using a 2-inch round fluted cookie cutter, make a shallow cut in the center of the dough. Using the tines of a fork, score dough from the edge of the circle in the center toward the edge of the pan into 12 equal wedges.
• Transfer tart pan to oven and bake until light brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the shortbread comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Immediately re-score circle and wedges with cookie cutter and the tines of a fork. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool 1 hour. Remove shortbread from tart pan and let cool completely. Cut into wedges with a serrated knife along the scored lines.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and salt until well blended.
• In a stand mixer set on medium speed, beat the butter until creamy. Beat in the granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. On low speed, add the flour mixture in two or three additions until it forms a soft dough. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or leave ungreased.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to a ¾-inch-thick slab, about 5 by 8 inches. (I use a kitchen ruler to measure and press the edges into shape.) Transfer to the baking sheet and bake until lightly golden and firm to the touch, about 40 minutes. Slip the parchment paper with the shortbread onto a hard surface. Immediately sprinkle the shortbread heavily with the baker's sugar. While still warm, use the ruler and a paring knife, pointed straight down, to cut the shortbread into 1- or 1 ½-inch pieces. Let cool completely. The shortbread tastes best at room temperature.

MILLIONAIRE'S SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch-square baking pan and line it with parchment paper so that the parchment extends up all sides of the pan.
• To make the shortbread layer: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, cream the butter, sugar and salt together on medium speed until a grainy paste forms, 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl and paddle. Add the egg yolk, vanilla and 1 teaspoon water and blend on medium until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the flour and mix on low until a crumbly dough forms; it will look dry and that's okay.
• Transfer the dough to the prepared pan, breaking up any large pieces to evenly scatter the dough over the bottom. Use your hand to press the dough as evenly as possible into the pan. If the dough sticks to your fingers, moisten your hand with cool water. Use a fork to prick the dough all over the surface.
• Bake the shortbread until firm to the touch and golden brown (the edges may be a bit darker than the center), 30 to 35 minutes. Cool the pan on a rack until just warm before topping with the caramel layer, about 30 minutes.
• To make the caramel layer: Stir the cream, vanilla, coffee and salt together in a medium pot, preferably nonstick. Add the butter and caramels and melt over low heat, stirring continuously with a rubber spatula, until smooth, about 5 minutes; reduce the heat if the caramel begins bubbling. Immediately pour the caramel over the warm shortbread and smooth the top. The caramel will smooth and level as it cools. Allow to cool for about 2 hours before adding the final ganache layer.
• To make the chocolate layer: Combine the chocolate chips, cream and instant coffee if using in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 15 seconds. Stir about 5 seconds and continue heating in 15-second increments until smooth, 30 to 45 seconds total. Don't overcook the mixture; if small bits of chocolate remain just gently stir until they melt.
• Pour the chocolate ganache over the cooled caramel layer and smooth to the edges. Allow to set until firm, about 1 hour at room temperature or 30 minutes refrigerated.
• Use the overhanging parchment to lift the bars out. Slice into 16 squares and lightly sprinkle with flaky salt if using. The bars will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.