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Martha's Short Bread
Recipe by: Martha Stewart
This is one recipe I believe every cook
should keep on hand. I saw Martha make this shortbread on her show and copied
the recipe. I made a dozen of them in the three flavors, wrapped them and they
stayed wonderfully fresh until Christmas. This recipe really needs to keep for a
good five days or so for the flavors to merry. This is another perk to the
recipe, making them way before you need to give them.
Ingredients:
With parties galore, the holidays often coax the home baker into making
seemingly endless batches of different kinds of cookies. This doesn't have to be
the case with shortbread. One simple recipe lends itself to enhancements such as
ginger, chocolate, and orange. Make a single batch and customize it to suit your
needs. Shortbread improves with age and can be stored for up to two weeks before
serving.
Tender and crumbly shortbread is an alliance between four simple ingredients:
butter, flour, sugar, and salt. Shortbread originated in Scotland as a mutation
of a Yule cake called bannock, an ancient symbol of the sun. Long associated
with Christmas, the rich and buttery cookie is also linked to the celebration of
Hogmanay, a holiday that began in the seventeenth century commemorating France
and England in "auld alliance." Today, Hogmanay, which coincides with New Year's
Eve, is known as Cake Day in Scotland.
Most often baked in eight-inch rounds, shortbread can be cut into wedges known
as petticoat tails, a name derived from the shape of the undergarments worn by
women during the time of the Norman Conquest of Britain. Some centuries later,
Mary, Queen of Scots, was particularly fond of this rich treat. Royal shortbread
refers to shortbread half-dipped in melted chocolate, while "highlanders"
describe cookies shaped in rounds or rectangular bars.
SHORTBREAD COOKIES
Makes three 8-inch rounds
1 pound unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
For ginger-flavored shortbread, add:
1 heaping tablespoon candied ginger, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
For chocolate flavored shortbread, add:
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, very finely chopped
1 tablespoon Kahlúa
For orange-flavored shortbread, add:
1 heaping tablespoon candied orange peel, finely chopped
Zest of 1 orange, grated
1 tablespoon orange-flavored liqueur, such as Grand Marnier
1. Heat oven to 275 degrees. Butter three 8 x 2-inch round cake pans and line
with parchment paper. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and
sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add flour, 1 cup at
a time, beating on low speed until just combined. Add salt, and combine. 2.
Divide dough into three parts and transfer each to a separate bowl. Add
appropriate flavoring ingredients to each bowl to create three different
flavors. 3. Transfer each batch of flavored dough to prepared pans, taking care
to make sure the tops are level and smooth. Using the back of a knife, lightly
score each pan into 12 wedges. With the tines of a fork or a skewer, create a
decorative pattern on each wedge. 4. Bake until pale golden, but not browned,
about 45 to 50 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around
the outer edge of each pan to loosen. Remove from pan and using a serrated
knife, follow the score marks to cut the shortbread into neat wedges. Wrapped
well, shortbread will keep for up to 2 weeks.
Method:
1. Heat oven to 275 degrees. Butter three 8 x 2-inch round cake pans and line
with parchment paper. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and
sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add flour, 1 cup at
a time, beating on low speed until just combined. Add salt, and combine.
2. Divide dough into three parts and transfer each to a separate bowl. Add
appropriate flavoring ingredients to each bowl to create three different
flavors.
3. Transfer each batch of flavored dough to prepared pans, taking care to make
sure the tops are level and smooth. Using the back of a knife, lightly score
each pan into 12 wedges. With the tines of a fork or a skewer, create a
decorative pattern on each wedge.
4. Bake until pale golden, but not browned, about 45 to 50 minutes. Cool on a
wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the outer edge of each pan to
loosen. Remove from pan and using a serrated knife, follow the score marks to
cut the shortbread into neat wedges. Wrapped well, shortbread will keep for up
to 2 weeks.
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