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.

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.

TRADITIONAL ENGLISH SHORTBREADS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 160°C/gas 3.
• Lightly grease baking tray or place a piece of baking paper over the tin (to stop the unlikely event of the Shortbread sticking).
• Place sifted flour and sugar into bowl and mix together.
• Dice the margarine and gradually rub into flour until breadcrumbs.
• Add vanilla essence and carry on rubbing in with fingertips.
• When the mixture sticks together, place on floured workspace and gently knead until a soft ball.
• Roll out until 1.5 cm in thickness, then cut into Shortbread fingers or petticoat tails. (Using a biscuit cutter is a good way to get a more defined shape)
• Prick all over with a fork or a cocktail stick and (for petticoat tails) mark the edges as well.
• Place in the oven for 15-20 mins and then leave to cool. (Make sure you take the Shortbread out when it is starting to darken round the edges of the biscuit)
• Sprinkle caster sugar over the biscuits (after fully cooled).

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.

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.