SOLSTICE SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• 1) Preheat the oven to 325°F Lightly grease two 9" round cake pans, or two 8" or 9" stoneware shortbread pans, or a combination.
• 2) Combine the butter, salt, sugar, and vanilla in a mixing bowl, and beat till smooth.
• 3) Place 1 cup of the flour in a food processor with the crystallized ginger. Process until the ginger is finely minced; this may take up to 1 minute.
• 4) Add this mixture, with the remaining 1 1/3 cups flour, to the butter-sugar mixture. Beat until well combined.
• 5) Divide the dough in half, and press half into each pan, smoothing the surface with your fingers or a pastry roller.
• 6) Prick the dough all over with a fork; this will prevent it from ballooning up or developing air bubbles as it bakes.
• 7) Bake the shortbread till it's golden brown all over, and a bit browner around the edges, about 35 minutes. Remove it from the oven.
• 8) Loosen the edges of the shortbread from the pan, using a table knife or heatproof nylon spatula. Wait just a minute or two, then turn the shortbread out of the pan onto a piece of parchment or a clean work surface.
• 9) Use a bench knife, a knife, or (easiest) a rolling pizza cutter to cut each round into 12 wedges. Do this immediately, while the shortbread is still warm. If you wait, it'll be difficult to cut.
• 10) Transfer the wedges to a rack to cool.
• NOTE*: One reviewer suggested 'browning the butter' first.