It is only a little shortbread...but you cannot stop at one nor can your guests stop asking for more!
As a teenager, my step mother made us these shortbreads every Christmas. Thirty years later and with some healthy modifications, I still make them year after year...and many batches during the Christmas season. Most recently and for my kids, Josephine and Charlotte, we enjoy them on our annual Christmas lights drive and during tree decorating night. Lucky Santa...he gets them too!
Happy to share at the request of many...recently the Auum potluck crowd!!
Enjoy and please share how yours turn out.
Cheryl's Best Shortbread Ever! A short essay on the makings of some fine tasty cookies...
First and this step will be very helpful...you will thank me.
Take the pound of butter out of the refrigerator!! [if you have watch Young Frankenstein, say it slowly]
Take out butter so that it is easier to cut but it cannot be too soft - up to a couple of hours before OR expect to put more muscle into the mix (doable).
Start with 4 cups of flour...I use mostly organic flours...sometimes whole wheat, sometimes spelt and sometimes freshly ground in my most favourite machine...the Vitamixer (this you have to get if you don't already have one - save on the shipping costs by contacting me for a special ID number.) One of my neighbours almost got into a divorce over this...she just had to have it. I know the feeling.
I know...get on with it! Now for the sweet part...1 cup of sugar, but not just any sugar. It must be finely granulated. In the original recipe, it calls for 3/4 cup fruit sugar and 1/4 icing sugar...but I cannot get these in organic sugars! So, here is where my Vitamixer comes to the rescue. I use the organic sugar cane and ground it up fine. You can always use a coffee grinder or a Bullet if you wish.
Every batch can vary...so don't be afraid to add cinnamon or other spices! For the Auum potluck I use a pinch of vanilla bean powder and cinnamon.
Mix all the dry ingredients in a very large mixing bowl!
Now for the most important ingredient...the fat, the butter. I use the best butter I can get (easily). Been using the unsalted cultured organic butter at Loblaws. However, the unsalted was not available last week so I used the salted...oh well!
Drop in a whole pound of the stuff, cut it with two knives to mix the dry ingredients and butter into smaller pieces.
Now preheat the oven to 275 degrees before you forget.
You will have to take off all your jewellery (rings) for this next part, and make sure you are ready to use your hand and finger muscles. You will thank me afterwards as they will melt in your mouth.
With both hands and maybe while standing on a stool (as I do to get some leverage going...not enough height), mix the butter with the flour until you make a ball of dough. Kneed the ball of shortbread for 5 to 10 minutes.
Plop the ball of dough into a cookie sheet. I use a baking stone but for many many years, I used a regular non-stick cookie sheet. Spread out the dough into the corners, covering the whole sheet.
Note: You can shape the dough into cookies if you like but that will take up a lot of time and not make them taste any better. I have started to make my kids first letter of their names...they like that. They are the biggest letters you have ever seen so they take a few days to eat it.
Take a fork, any fork, and make marks generously all over the dough (unless you want it to rise and crumble)! My kids like doing this part...works to let out some excitement!
Once you have forked the dough, put the tray into the oven and bake for 45 mins to 1.5 hours (will depend on how hot your oven is or the kind of ingredients you use) or until lightly lightly golden.
Next very important step unless you want to have one BIG cookie!
Once you take out the shortbread from the oven, grab a butter knife (using the dull side or any other tool that will not cut into your pan) and cut into bars immediately while hot...make bigger bars for a more generous cookie serving.
Make some of your favourite tea or warm up some milk with cinnamon and enjoy!
I dare you only to have one cookie (no cheating by making larger cookies)!
Any questions?
Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Season's Greetings!
Best of fun making your bestever shortbreads!
Cheers!
Cheryl
FATS is not a 4 letter word!
Tags: shortbread recipe, Christmas baking, Cheryl Millett
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