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Shortbread

Rich and buttery, with the optimal crumbly, evenly browned texture.

    shortbread-5of5

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    4 Comments

    • harpmary

      I like the idea of letting the dough rest in the fridge. But, coming from a Scottish household, I have to say that my grandparents (from Stirling and Ayrshire) were always quite adamant about the correct way to make shortbread. First, there are always ever only three ingredients: Flour, granulated sugar, and butter – nothing else. (No rice flour as I’ve seen some recipes include – and no confectioners sugar). The butter must be at room temp and then creamed with the sugar using your hands. Also, my Scottish grandfather and grandmother were adamant that you don’t sprinkle sugar on top. (I understand that this gives it a nice sweet crunchy touch – just reporting what my grandparents said). It was always made on a cookie sheet like a round giant cookie. It was scored with a fork and let to bake in a “slow oven” (love the 19th/early 20th century terminology!) After it cooled you cut it in strips – like fingers (the way the Scottish company Walker’s shortbread cuts it – now I don’t like Walkers shortbread – but they cut it the traditional way).

      Modern touches like mixers, shortbread presses, fancy flours, and ‘dipped chocolate’ have turned shortbread into something quite gourmet. But, for hundreds of years, most of the households in Scotland made their shortbread with only the most basic ingredients. (And, it is still one of the yummiest things that I have ever eaten!)

    • harpmary

      Oh – I forgot to add that you butter and flour the cookie sheet to keep it from sticking. Parchment wasn’t available in 1920s Scotland!

    • Bipasha

      Is the amount of confectioner’s sugar correct in this recipe? 2 oz C.sugar for 11.25 oz of flour? I just made this following your recipe – there’s hardly any sweet taste to the cookie! I checked King Arthur Flour’s blog/ recipe (after the fact!), they are suggesting 1 cup (4 oz) C.sugar for 2 cups (8.5 oz per their sprinkle-and level method). Need to come up with toppings and such to make this palatable.

    • Christine Liu
      Christine Liu

      Hi Bipasha, yes, the amount of confectioners’ sugar is correct.

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