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Two Flours

Sugary Butter

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Scottish Shortbread - printer friendly

Scottish Shortbread

courtesy of Good Housekeeping test kitchens

Ingredients:

3/4 c. butter, softened
1/3 c. sugar plus more for sprinkling
1 1/2 c. all-purpose white flour
1/2 c. semolina flour (for texture)

Making the Shortbreads:

1. Pulse the butter and sugar together in food processor fitted with the dough blade until it is creamy and light.

2. In a four-cup measuring cup, whisk the two measures of flours until combined.

3. Add the flour in three measures, to the butter and sugar, pulsing to combine in between.

4. Remove the blade from the processor bowl and work the last bits of flour into the dough, lightly and quickly. Don't over handle the dough, as it will get tough.

Option 1:

A. Divide the dough into clumps that approximate the size of your molds.

B. Brush your molds lightly with corn oil until all the nooks and crannies glisten. Lightly flour the mold and pat the excess flour out.

C. Pat the dough into the molds, making the overall shortbread about 1/2 inch in thickness.

D. Turn the mold and rap it over an ungreased cookie sheet, to unmold your shortbread. Dust with some sugar and repeat the flour (but not the oil) coating of the mold, patting in of the dough, and unmolding process. Leave an inch between shortbreads.

E. Bake until the edges of the shortbreads begin to become golden and brown just slightly. Remove and cool on a rack for 10 minutes before sliding onto a smooth surface for further cooling.

F. Wrap closely and store in a cool dark place.

Option 2:

A. Brush the bottom of a 9_inch spring form pan with corn oil and dust lightly with flour. Pat the dough into the bottom to form a uniformly thick shortbread round.

B. Remove the outer ring and lightly score the shortbread into pie-shaped wedges, using a pizza cutter or spatula.

C. Prick the wedges here and there with a fork, sprinkle with sugar, and bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes in a 300 degree F oven.

D. Remove when the edges become golden and begin to brown slightly. Cool on a rack for ten minutes and then gently slide the shortbread to a flat surface to finish cooling ( I put them on decorative paper plates that I can bag in a close-fitting zip-lock plastic bag.) Store the shortbreads in a cool, dark place until gifting or eating.

Note: Shortbreads should keep well, if closely covered, for about 1-2 weeks. Ours never lasted that long.