Quick Shortbread Fingers Recipes

SHORTBREAD "FINGERS"

Steps:

• Cream the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the flour and salt and work the mixture with your fingers or a pastry blender until all the flour is incorporated. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
• When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface, roll half the dough until it's 1/4-inch thick. Using a small knife, cut out finger-sized strips, about 3 inches tall, rounding each finger at the top as shown. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Roll and cut the second half of the dough, and place the baking sheets in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. You can gather together scraps and re-roll them.
• Bake for 15 minutes, until the shortbread is very lightly golden. Do not let the cookies brown. Remove to a wire rack and cool.
• When the cookies are completely cool, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave in a heatproof bowl for 1 minutes. The chips may look unmelted, but stir them with a spoon to see if they have actually softened before putting them in for another minute, if necessary.
• Spoon the melted chocolate into a zipper-lock bag. Seal the bag, pressing out any air. Use a toothpick to make a very tiny hole in one corner of the bag to release a thin stream of chocolate for writing. Decorate the fingers by piping a fingernail at the rounded end, and three horizontal lines to mark the joint at mid-finger. Decorate tombstones with crosses and writing as desired. Allow the chocolate to set before stacking the cookies.

BASIC SHORTBREAD FINGERS

Steps:

• Butter an 8 1/2-inch cake or springform pan; set aside. Sift together flour and salt into a small bowl; set aside. Place butter in bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Cream until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add sugar, and continue to beat until very light in color and fluffy, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, about 2 minutes more. Add vanilla, if using. Add flour mixture, and combine on low speed, scraping with spatula if necessary, until flour is just incorporated and dough sticks together when squeezed with fingers.
• Pat dough into prepared pan. If rolling out dough to cut into shapes, form into a flat disk; wrap in plastic. Chill until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Roll dough to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 1-by-3-inch rectangles. Score with a knife; chill. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Bake until firm and just starting to color, 20 to 25 minutes.

MILLIONAIRE'S SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter 2 (8-inch) square nonstick pans and coat with flour, tapping off excess. Place the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse once. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles peas. Press the shortbread mixture into prepared pans and bake until golden brown around the edges, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
• In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the condensed milk and 2 tablespoons of butter. Slowly bring the mixture to a boil, stirring continuously. Continue stirring over the heat until mixture becomes thick and amber in color, about 15 minutes. Pour the caramel over the cooked shortbread and spread evenly using an offset spatula. Cool to room temperature.
• In a glass bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate. Once chocolate has melted, pour it over the cooled caramel layer. Cool at room temperature for about 10 minutes, and then place in the refrigerator to cool completely, allowing chocolate to slightly harden but not get hard. Cut into 2-inch squares and enjoy, or store in an airtight container, at room temperature, or my favorite - keep in the refrigerator for a yummy sweet and cool treat!

QUICK SHORTBREAD FINGERS

Steps:

• Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl.
• Knead together well with fingertips (you can also mix this well in a blender)until you form a smooth, firm ball.
• Turn out onto a lightly floured board and divide into two portions.
• Roll out and trim into two oblongs, about 8 x 2.5 inches.
• Place on baking tray covered with grease-proof paper and prick with a fork.
• Bake in a moderate oven for 30-35 minutes (about 180).
• Once baked, cut into fingers whilst still warm and allow to cool on baking tin.
• Sprinkle with the rest of the sugar and seal in an airtight tin.

CHOCOLATE-TOFFEE SHORTBREAD FINGERS

Steps:

• 1. Line a few baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the nuts and toffee bits in a shallow bowl.
• 2. Combine the chocolate and oil in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat the chocolate in the microwave on high until melted, 30 seconds to 1 minute depending on the strength of your microwave. Stir until smooth. (Alternatively, place water to a depth of 1 inch in the bottom of a double boiler or a large saucepan and bring to a bare simmer. Place the chocolate chips and oil in the top of the double boiler or in a stainless steel bowl big enough to rest on top of the saucepan without touching the water. Heat, whisking occasionally, until the chocolate is melted.)
• 3. Hold a cookie by one end and dip it into the chocolate, turning, to coat three quarters of the cookie; let the excess drip back into the bowl. Hold the cookie over the bowl of nuts and toffee bits and sprinkle some of the mixture onto the chocolate-coated top and sides of the cookie. Place the cookie on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining cookies. Let the cookies rest until the chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.
• Chocolate-Toffee Shortbread Fingers will keep, between layers of parchment paper, in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week
• Note:
• To toast the pecans, place them in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet and bake in a 350°F oven, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes. Watch them closely to make sure they don't burn, and transfer the toasted nuts to a plate to let them cool.

CHOCOLATE-GLAZED SHORTBREAD FINGERS

Steps:

• Preparebasic shortbread. Form dough into a disk; wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or overnight). Roll out to a 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into 1-by-3-inch rectangles; refrigerate for 20 minutes. Bake on a cookie sheet until firm and just starting to color, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Make glaze: Coarsely chop semisweet chocolate; melt in a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pan of hot but not boiling water, stirring with a wooden spoon. Stir in safflower oil (for gloss). Remove from heat, and let cool 10 minutes. Dip 1/3 of each cookie into chocolate glaze, and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until glaze is set, about 10 minutes. Cookies can be stored, in single layers between waxed or parchment paper, in airtight containers at room temperature for 1 week.

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!

QUICK SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325°F. Combine flour, sugar, cornstarch and aniseed in medium bowl. Pour butter over dry ingredients and stir to combine well. Press dough evenly onto bottom of 9-inch pie plate.
• Bake until golden brown, piercing with toothpick if dough puffs up, about 30 minutes. Cut hot shortbread into 8 wedges. Cool completely. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)

SHORTBREAD BISCUITS

Steps:

• Heat the oven 170C/150C fan/gas 3. Put the flour, butter and sugar into a mixing bowl. Use your hands to combine the ingredients until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs, then squeeze until it comes together as a dough.
• On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to ½ cm thick. Cut the dough into fingers and place on a lined baking tray. Use a fork to create imprints, then sprinkle with the remaining caster sugar.
• Chill the dough in the fridge for 20 mins, then bake for 15-20 mins until golden brown. Remove the shortbread fingers from the oven and leave to cool on the tray for 10 mins.

ALMOND-TIPPED SHORTBREAD FINGERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Gradually add flour and mix well. Shape 1/2 cupfuls of dough into 1/2-in. thick logs. Cut logs into 2-in. pieces. , Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 15-17 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. , In a microwave, melt white chocolate; stir until smooth. Dip an end of each cookie into chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Then dip into almonds. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set.

QUICK AND EASY SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Set the oven to 150C.
• Sieve the sugar and flour together in to a medium sized mixing bowl.
• Thoroughly mix the sugar and flour together.
• Cut the butter in to squares of approximately 2cm and add to the mixing bowl.
• Rub in the butter. It should start to look like breadcrumbs.
• Continue to rub in the butter until it reaches a gooey state.
• Grease a small baking tray and line with grease paper.
• Layer the mixture in to the greased tray and put in the oven, after 5 minutes remove.
• Then use a fork to poke hole in the mixture and outline the pieces. Continue to poke holes into the mixture until it is covered in the holes.
• Put it back in the oven for 40 minutes or until it is a pale brown colour.
• Leave it to cool and then serve.
• Tip: To make it sweeter sprinkle it with caster sugar.