Crisp Shortbread Recipes

CLASSIC SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-12-1/2-inch jelly roll pan and line it with parchment, then butter the paper.
• Whisk together the flour, cornstarch and salt in a bowl. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes. Slowly add the flour mixture and beat on low until the dough is just combined; do not overwork.
• Transfer the dough to the prepared pan, spreading it out as evenly as possible with a spatula. Cover with plastic wrap, then use your hands to press and flatten the dough into a smooth even layer. Remove the plastic and cut the dough with a sharp knife into approximately 1-by-3-inch bars. Use a fork to prick a decorative pattern into the tops.
• Bake, rotating the pan from front to back halfway through, until golden, 60 to 70 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes in the pan, then re-cut the bars along the previous cuts. Carefully lift the bars off the parchment with a small spatula and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

CRISP LEMON SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In a bowl, beat butter, confectioners' sugar and lemon zest until blended. Beat in lemon juice. Gradually beat in flour., Divide dough into four portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough into a 5x3-1/2-in. rectangle. Transfer to ungreased baking sheets. Cut each rectangle into six squares, but do not separate. Prick tops with a fork. Sprinkle with sugar., Bake 20-25 minutes or until light brown. Cool on pans 10 minutes. Transfer shortbread to a cutting board; recut into squares. Cool on a wire rack.

CRISP SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• In a bowl with a fork blend together butter and confectioners' sugar until combined well. Sift flour into butter mixture, tossing flours together lightly before combining with butter mixture and stir with fork until flours are incorporated. (Dough will be crumbly.) Press dough evenly onto bottom of a 9-inch metal pie plate.
• With tines of fork decoratively mark edge of dough and with a butter knife score dough into 8 wedges. Prick each wedge in several places with fork. Bake shortbread in middle of oven 30 minutes.
• Reduce temperature to 300°F and continue to bake shortbread 15 minutes more, or until golden.
• Cool shortbread in pie plate on a rack 5 minutes. With a sharp knife cut shortbread into wedges and transfer wedges to rack to cool completely. Shortbread keeps in an airtight container at room temperature 5 days.

CRISP ORANGE SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Lightly oil a baking sheet. Beat the butter, then cream it with the sugar and orange zest until light. Stir in the flour and baking powder and mix together to form a dough.
• Divide the mixture into 10 balls, arrange on a baking sheet. Press each ball fl at with the tip of a round-bladed knife. Chill for 15 mins, then bake for 12-15 mins until light golden. Leave on the baking sheet for 2 mins before releasing with a palette knife. Slide onto a rack to cool. Will keep stored in an airtight container for up to a week.

SHORTBREAD CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Stir together flour and baking powder; blend into butter mixture. Pat into a 9 inch pie plate.
• Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned.

IRRESISTABLE CRUNCHY SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 155 degrees celsius for fan oven. Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper/ silicone mat.
• Cream together butter and sugar.
• Remove one tbsp of flour and replace with one tbsp of cornflour.
• Add the flour to the butter and sugar and mix (by hand or machine) until resembling fine bread crumbs.
• Bind and knead the mixture behind until you have a ball of dough.
• Roll out the dough to 1cm thickness and cut to desired shape.
• Bake on the baking sheet for 15-20mins - keep an eye on it - it doesn't want to be golden brown! You want to catch it just before that.
• Poke some decorative holes in the top with a fork and leave to cool on a wire cooling rack.
• Sprinkle a little caster sugar on the top before serving.

SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add 3-3/4 cups flour; mix well. Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead for 5 minutes, adding enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Roll to 1/2-in. thickness. Cut into 3x1-in. strips. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Prick with fork. Bake until cookies are lightly browned, 20-25 minutes. Cool.

SUPER-EASY SHORTBREAD (3 INGREDIENTS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°.
• Cream butter and sugar together.
• Add flour and mix till texture is like clay.
• Press dough into ungreased 9 x 13 inch pan, prick all over with a fork, and sprinkle with sugar (tilt pan to cover the top evenly, then shake excess sugar back into the sugar canister).
• Bake for about 40-45 minutes (till very lightly browned--just golden around the edges).
• Let stand for 5 minutes, then cut into 24 squares while warm.
• Leave in pan to cool thoroughly. (Shortbread will not be crisp until cool.).
• Less easy method: Chill dough. Roll into 1-inch balls, then press balls to about 1/4-inch thickness on ungreased cookie sheets with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar (sometimes you can find a glass with a pretty design on the bottom, like a star). Bake at 300° for about 20-25 minutes (until edges are very lightly browned).
• Least easy method: Chill dough. Roll out to about 1/4-inch thickness, sprinkle with sugar, then cut with cookie cutters. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets at 300° for about 20-25 minutes (until edges are very lightly browned).
• Variation: Add 2 tablespoons dried lavender to the creamed butter and sugar before adding flour. It may sound strange, but the flavor is subtle and elegant. Food-grade lavender is usually available in herb bins at health food stores, and I recently found it at a great price from Atlantic Spice online (their Lavender #1).
• Variation: After cutting shortbread into squares (it will still be warm), scatter 1 cup of chocolate chips over the top, let the chocolate soften completely, then spread as a thin layer and let cool completely before removing from pan. (No need to sprinkle shortbread with sugar before baking if you plan to do this.).
• Variation: Stir 1 cup chocolate chips or butterscotch chips into the dough before pressing into pan. You can also try melting the butterscotch over the top, as above. In England, you'll find "caramel shortbread," which has a layer of caramel and a layer of chocolate on top of the shortbread. It's wonderful (of course!). I've tried various ways of doing this and various kinds of caramel, but it's been a while and I don't remember what works best. It can be tricky not to make a mess!

SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Line a baking sheet with greaseproof (parchment) paper. Sift the flour and rice flour into a medium mixing bowl. Add the sugar and mix.
• Cut butter into pieces and rub into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture begins to bind together. Knead into soft dough.
• Roll the dough into an 8 inch round (or for exact round, mold it in an 8 inch cake pan). Place on baking sheet. Using a fork, prick top and make tine marks along edge. Using a table knife, score top with wedge marks. (This is where it will break when cooled)
• Bake 45 minutes or until pale golden in color. Sprinkle a little superfine sugar over top and cool on baking sheet. Cut into wedges. Keeps for weeks in airtight tin.

CRISP WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIP SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy; scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
• Reduce mixer speed to low; gradually blend in the flour, cornstarch, and salt; blend well. Gently stir in the chocolate chips.
• Pat dough into an ungreased 15x10x1" jelly-roll pan; sprinkle with sugar.
• Bake 15-20 minutes, or until edges are pale golden. Immediately cut into strips, diamonds, or squares; remove from pan when cool.
• Store airtight.