Japanese Shortbread Recipes

JAPANESE-STYLE WHITE BREAD

Steps:

• Place warm water in a small bowl. Sprinkle over yeast and 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar and whisk to combine. Let stand until creamy, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk together 3 1/4 cups flour, salt, and remaining tablespoon sugar in bowl of a standing mixer. Attach dough hook, and mix on low speed adding yeast mixture, milk, and egg. Increase speed to medium and mix until dough comes together, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. If dough does not come together, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, up to 1/4 cup.
• Continue kneading for 10 minutes. Add butter and mix until incorporated and dough is smooth, 5 to 8 minutes. (Dough may come apart before coming back together.)
• Meanwhile, butter a large bowl. Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface and shape it into a ball. Transfer dough to the prepared bowl, turning dough to coat. Cover lightly with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray and let stand in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 45 to 60 minutes.
• Place dough, top-side down, on lightly floured work surface to deflate. Shape dough into a ball and return to the buttered bowl. Cover lightly with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 45 to 60 minutes.
• Butter a 4 1/2-inch-by-8 1/2-inch loaf pan. Place dough, top-side down, on lightly floured work surface to deflate. Pat dough into a 7-inch square using your hands. Fold bottom edge two thirds of the way up, and fold again so that the top edge meets the bottom edge as you would a business letter. Pat dough a second time into a 7-inch square. Roll dough to form a tight log and pinch to seal. Pat the ends just enough to fit into the pan, and place the dough seam side down into the prepared pan.
• Cover with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray. Let stand in a warm place until dough has risen about 3 inches beyond the top of the pan and leaves an indentation when gently pressed with a fingertip, 60 to 75 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees (or 400 degrees for a convection oven) with rack set in the center.
• Remove plastic wrap, and spritz surface of dough lightly with water. Transfer to oven and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees (or 350 degrees for a convection oven) and continue to bake until deep golden-brown and an instant-read thermometer registers 190 degrees when inserted into the center of the loaf, about 25 minutes more. If browning too quickly, tent lightly with foil.
• Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly; turn out loaf. Brush top with butter to coat and let cool almost completely before slicing.

JAPANESE SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• The layers will be prepared and arranged in the following order, from bottom to top:.
• Shortbread Crust.
• Jam Layer.
• Pistachio Layer.
• Chocolate Top.
• Shortbread Crust:.
• Heat oven to 350 Degrees F. Grease a 15 x 10 inch jelly roll pan.
• Pulse flour and sugar in a food processor to combine. Add cold cut up butter to work bowl and process until mixture is the texture of coarse meal.
• Add egg and pulse until mixture begins to hold together. Note: the mixture should still be crumbly but evenly moistened by the egg.
• Sprinkle the moistened dough evenly in prepared pan. Gently press the dough with floured fingertips evenly along bottom and sides of prepared pan.
• Bake 20 to 22 mninutes until crust is brown at edges and golden in the center. Transfer to wire rack; cool while making filling.Jam Layer.
• Stir jam in a small bowl until smooth and spreadable; spread evenly over bottom of crust. (Note: an offset spatula is a great tool for spreading.)Pistachio Layer.
• Process almonds, sugar, pistachios and flour in food processor, scraping sides of bowl until almonds are very finely ground. This mixture should look like dry bread crumbs. (Note: Grinding nuts in a food processor with flour and sugar prevents the nuts from becoming too moist and turning into nut butter.).
• Add butter and 1 egg. Process until smooth. Add remaining 2 eggs, almond and vanilla extracts and food coloring; process to blend. This mixture should be smooth and creamy in appearance.
• Carefully spoon filling over Jam Layer and gently spread to cover.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes until filling is golden brown and firm when pressed lightly in center. Cool completely on wire rack.Chocolate Top.
• Spread melted chocolate evenly over Pistachio Layer. Refrigerate 10 minutes until chocolate is set.
• Score top of bars to guide knife as you cut 1 1/4 inch squares. Makes 8 dozen.

JEWISH SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 1/3 cup of sugar until smooth. Mix in the walnuts, vanilla, salt and flour until well blended. Shape tablespoonfuls of dough into crescent shapes. Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bottoms begin to brown. In a small bowl, mix together the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and cinnamon. Roll the cookies in the cinnamon sugar while still hot. Cool completely before storing in an airtight tin.

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.