TRUE SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD
When I was a young kid one or other of us in turn occasionally used to be allowed to wreak havoc in the kitchen. I used to make the most mess - but the best cakes! This is a recipe I asked for from the elderly Scottish pastry cook who used to live opposite. She even had me bake it one time in HER kitchen - none of my siblings were so privileged - boy was I was smug about that! She used to bring over some of the most amazing goodies! I have searched and baked and bought, but never found a shortbread recipe that was anything like as good as this. Fortunately my mum found a 'new' copy of her much-spattered cookbook and she gave me her old one which had this recipe manually type-written and stuck into it. Nobody, but nobody!, bakes better shortbread than I occasionally treat myself to (I DO share some of it!) when I bake using this recipe!!! Do try this one - it's just the ultimate! :) Despite the Scots preference for slightly warmed shortbread I strongly urge you to wait until it's fully cold before devouring - not refrigerated cold, but ideally no warmer (or cooler really) than a cool room temperature. The instructions call for some care in the preparation but as I'm passing on the tips as they were given to me when I was between 8 to 10 years old, I'll pass them on to you rather than leave them out. - She felt they were important for best results, and the resulting shortbread proves she knew what she was talking about! The recipe is very simple and robust enough that a child can make it well, but the best results will come from taking extra special care. This recipe doesn't double well either, sadly. Do especially keep that mixture cool and do it by hand not machine - it's only a few minutes of fussing about after all! Sorry to those without a set of kitchen scales, recipes in Europe are almost entirely written by weight.
Provided by Ethan UK
Categories Lunch/Snacks
Time 1h5m
Yield 28-30 Pieces, 28 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Sift/sieve the flour into a bowl and add the pinch of salt. Put aside for the moment.
- Make some space in the fridge, if necessary, for the bowl you're about to use in case you quickly need to chill the mixture.
- Using butter, grease the baking tray well and put it aside for the moment. Yield for fingers (much preferred) is around a 7 to 8 inch square. For Petticoat Tails it will yield a chunky 8 inch circle.
- Pre-heat the oven (Gas Mark 3 (325F / 165C degrees)).
- Put the butter (if using unsalted butter then ADD a pinch of salt to it) into a medium-size mixing bowl and mash it with a fork until it is soft and creamy without lumps. But don't let your hand heat warm it so much it starts to get runny. If you do, then put the bowl complete with butter & fork into the fridge for 5 - 10 minutes to cool it, then take it out and mash quickly again until smooth and creamy with no lumps.
- Add the sugar and mix it in well, and quickly.
- Add the salted flour a VERY little at a time - mixing it in with the fork to start with, but do this quickly.
- Knead well (on a very lightly floured surface). I was advised: knead for several minutes, and that the longer you knead, the better the shortbread will be. I usually aim for kneading for anything up to 10 minutes as I was told to, but get fed up after 7 minutes and reckon it can't make THAT much difference! What is very important is: Don't allow the mixture to become too warm from your body heat whilst kneading. If it does, as before, put it into the fridge for a couple of minutes to chill it slightly before resuming. If you do find the need to chill it, as I often do on a hot day, then do knead it for at least a minute or so before rolling it.
- Something I should add despite the copious over-instruction here: I've never owned a rolling pin until a couple of days ago. I don't know if using one will affect the texture, but I always used to pat it down as best I could with my palms.
- Roll the mixture out to shape and size of the tray. For fingers, roll out to about 1/2 inch thick or perhaps even slightly thicker (this sounds awfully thick I know!, but it is important as if you go thinner it will affect the texture, and amazingly, the taste). For petticoat tails it needs to be a little under 1/2 inch thick to yield a chunky circle of about 7 to 8 inches.
- For fingers: prick all over with a fork and put it into baking tray. Do try to use one that can fit exactly, or one that at least three sides of the mixture fit snugly against, as any outer edges that don't butt right up against the sides of a tray tend to get a bit over-baked.
- For petticoat tails: using fork prongs, from the outer edge towards the centre, indent the top about a 1/2 inch all the way round to give it a nice crinkly edge - sort of like the teeth on a cogwheel, then prick all the way round the middle ideally rotating the fork or the pastry (or yourself!) to give a pretty effect when cut. Carefully lift and support the decorated circle and place and fit snugly into the circular baking tray. Score lightly (to about halfway downwards to bottom of the tray) into eight equal segments.
- Bake until golden brown for about 45 minutes at Gas Mark 3 (325F / 165C degrees). Do keep an eye on it! Petticoat tails seem to require a little less baking time. Hard to describe the colour to bake until. From experience I know what colour I'm looking for - you don't really want it to be undercooked, but when it's starting get a bit dark around the edges it's probably beginning to get a bit overdone already. Basically cook until it's just starting to darken round the edges then get it out quick and cool it - I usually place the hot tray on a very cold surface until cool.
- Whilst still quite warm in the tray, mark across and cut into finger-shaped pieces (if not making petticoat tails) - but leave them there in the tray, cut and together until fully cold.
- For petticoat tails it's customary to sprinkle liberally with castor sugar.
- Sorry to be such a pedant about this recipe! I feel a bit like a mother hen clucking about "must do this -- ", "should do that -- " :) But it is worth taking some care over as the resulting shortbread will be so good you'll be hassled to make it much more often by everyone you share the pieces with :).
- SERVING SUGGESTION:.
- Just on its own with a nice cup of tea or coffee, but also scrumptious on a plate with and/or dunked into a generous helping of creamy Cornish Dairy ice-cream and strawberries, jam (jelly) or fresh fruit.
- Personal Note:.
- I live an ultra low-fat, low-sugar (or at least low quantities of sugars at a hit), calorie-controlled lifestyle. (I'm on maintenance these days rather than reduction - I don't think I dare get any leaner or people would worry!).
- Notwithstanding, I still make and eat pieces of this shortbread occasionally despite the fact that there's nothing remotely low fat, low-sugar or low calorie about it. At least there's not much salt!
- You can make substitutions or add essences and flavourings and it'll probably work out fine but it won't be the same shortbread - it won't taste the same, it won't have the same texture, but the efforts you've put into making it (and clearing up afterwards) will have been the same. I reckon it's got to be worth trying it without substitutions first time around - you can always give the pieces that you know are much more than you really should be letting yourself scoff to friends and family who will bless you for it! And you don't NEED to eat them all at once! - they keep well in a biscuit tin or cookie jar in a cool, dark place for quite a long time (given half a chance!). I guess you could probably freeze them too (if enough left!).
- ADDITIONS SUGGESTIONS:.
- Occasionally just for a change, right near the end of kneading I have added glace cherries, or occasionally sultanas or raisins, sometimes with and sometimes without cinnamon. Cherries worked ok, but wasn't crazy about the fruit. You could even split the kneaded mixture in two and do half plain and half with extra stuff then nudge them together in the baking tray for baking. I've never tried dessicated/flakes coconut or chunky milk/dark chocolate chips or crystallized (candied) ginger pieces perhaps with a bit of ground ginger in with the mix though I've often been tempted to - do let me know how they turn out if you do!
- I do know that dipping the tops from above at an angle into good quality melted real chocolate (not baking chocolate) so that the bottom remains uncoated and only half of the top is coated then leaving to cool (that's the tough bit!) is absolute heaven on earth in the eating. It also occurred to me while choco-dunking one time to add some dessicated coconut into the chocolate first - but I didn't have any - bet it's nice though!
- Do enjoy and best wishes from England - and Scotland!
SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD
Scottish settlers first came to this area over 150 years ago. My mother herself was Scottish, and-as with most of my favorite recipes-she passed this shortbread recipe on to me. I make a triple batch of it each year at Christmas, to enjoy and as gifts. -Rose Mabee, Selkirk, Manitoba
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Desserts
Time 35m
Yield about 4 dozen.
Number Of Ingredients 3
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.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 123 calories, Fat 8g fat (5g saturated fat), Cholesterol 20mg cholesterol, Sodium 62mg sodium, Carbohydrate 12g carbohydrate (5g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 1g protein.
SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place butter in mixer and beat with paddle until soft and light. Beat in sugar in a stream and continue beating 5 to 10 minutes until the mixture is very light and whitened. Stir in the flour by hand until it absorbed, no more or the dough will toughen.
- Scrape the dough onto a floured surface and flour the dough with pinches of flour. Press the dough out with your hands, then roll over once or twice very gently with a rolling pin until the dough is about 1/2-inch thick. Cut the dough with floured cutters and transfer the cut pieces to a paper lined pan.
- Bake the shortbread for about 15 minutes until it is very lightly colored. Cool the shortbread on a rack.
- To use a shortbread mold to shape, press the mold into the floured dough and cut around it. Transfer the cut and molded dough to a paper lined pan and chill about 1 hour until firm. Bake as above.
SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD
For this Scottish variation of our Classic Shortbread, the dough is baked in a stoneware mold.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes Cookie Recipes
Yield Makes 8 wedges
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees, with rack in upper third. Sift flour and salt into a bowl; set aside. Put butter into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl. Gradually add sugar; beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture all at once; mix until just combined.
- Using plastic wrap, press dough into an 8-inch shortbread mold coated with cooking spray. With plastic on dough, refrigerate 20 minutes. Prick all over with a wooden skewer. Bake 45 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes. Unmold; cut into wedges. Let cool completely.
SCOTTISH SHARP-CHEDDAR SHORTBREAD
Steps:
- Using electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat together butter, salt, black pepper, and cayenne at low speed just until blended. Add Cheddar and flour and mix at low speed just until smooth (do not overmix). Shape dough into disk, wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper, and chill 30 minutes.
- Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- On lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4- to 1/8-inch-thick round. Using 1 1/2- to 2-inch round cutter, cut out rounds and arrange 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets. Reroll scraps if desired (rerolled scraps will be tougher).
- Bake shortbread until lightly golden and beginning to brown on edges, about 13 to 15 minutes. Cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
GRANDMA'S SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD
My Scottish grandmother was renowned for her baking, and one of the highlights whenever we visited my grandparents was her bringing out the baking tin. Her shortbread cookies were my favorite, and now, whenever I make them, I remember her. This is not a thin, crispy dessert shortbread; it's a deep bar that is best served with a cup of tea. -Jane Kelly, Wayland, Massachusetts
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Desserts
Time 1h
Yield 4 dozen.
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 300°. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Combine flours; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Press dough into an ungreased 13x9-in. baking pan. Prick with a fork., Bake until light brown, 45-50 minutes. Cut into 48 bars or triangles while warm. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 139 calories, Fat 8g fat (5g saturated fat), Cholesterol 20mg cholesterol, Sodium 61mg sodium, Carbohydrate 16g carbohydrate (5g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 1g protein.
SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD IV
This is the most basic cookie recipe there is. Real butter and brown sugar give it an irresistible flavor.
Provided by Linda
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European UK and Ireland Scottish
Yield 24
Number Of Ingredients 3
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
- Cream butter and brown sugar. Add 3 to 3 3/4 cups flour. Mix well.
- Sprinkle board with the remaining flour. Knead for 5 minutes, adding enough flour to make a soft dough. Roll to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into 3x1 inch strips. Prick with fork and place on ungreased baking sheets.
- Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 255.8 calories, Carbohydrate 26.9 g, Cholesterol 40.7 mg, Fat 15.6 g, Fiber 0.6 g, Protein 2.6 g, SaturatedFat 9.8 g, Sodium 112 mg, Sugar 9 g
SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD III
My mother is from Scotland and this is her authentic Scottish shortbread recipe. It makes bars, not cookies!
Provided by Lesley Lombardo
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European UK and Ireland Scottish
Time 1h15m
Yield 36
Number Of Ingredients 3
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
- Cream butter and sugar with mixer. Add flour and mix with a wooden spoon. Use hands to thoroughly mix.
- Press into a jelly roll pan. Prick to bottom all over with a fork being sure the fork hits the bottom and the pricks are close together.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 300 and continue to bake for 40 minutes more. Wait 2 minutes then cut into finger size bars. Cool thoroughly in pan.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 175.1 calories, Carbohydrate 18.8 g, Cholesterol 27.1 mg, Fat 10.4 g, Fiber 0.5 g, Protein 1.9 g, SaturatedFat 6.5 g, Sodium 1.7 mg, Sugar 5.6 g
SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD
Make and share this Scottish Shortbread recipe from Food.com.
Provided by Steve_G
Categories Dessert
Time 1h10m
Yield 16 wedges, 16 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Set oven rack to middle position.
- Preheat oven to 275°F.
- Have two ungreased 8-inch cake pans ready.
- Food Processor Method.
- Cut the butter into 1-inch cubes, wrap it, and refrigerate.
- Process the sugars for 1 minute or so, until the sugar is very fine.
- Add the butter and pulse until the sugar disappears.
- Add the flour and pulse until there are a lot of moist, crumbly little pieces and no dry flour particles remain.
- Dump the mixture into a plastic bag and press it together.
- Remove the dough from the plastic bag and knead it lightly until it holds together.
- Electric Mixer or by Hand.
- Use superfine granulated sugar for the best texture and be sure to soften the butter.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugars.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugars until light and fluffy.
- With your fingers or with the electric mixer, mix in the flour until the mixture holds together.
- If using the mixer, add the flour in 2 parts.
- For Both Methods.
- Divide the dough into 2 equal parts.
- Pat each half into an ungreased 8-inch round cake pan.
- Use the tines of a fork to press 3/4-inch lines radiating like rays of sun all around the perimeter of the dough.
- Prick the rest of the dough all over with the tines of the fork.
- (this keeps the shortbread even and creates the traditional design).
- Bake for 60-70 minutes or until pale golden (do not brown).
- For even baking, rotate the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through the baking period.
- Cool in the pans, on a wire rack, for 10 minutes.
- Invert the shortbread onto flat cookie sheet and slide it onto a cutting board.
- While still warm, use a long sharp knife to cut each 8-inch round of shortbread into 8 pie-shaped wedges.
- Transfer the wedges to wire racks to cool completely.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 217.6, Fat 14.6, SaturatedFat 9.1, Cholesterol 38.1, Sodium 2.4, Carbohydrate 19.9, Fiber 0.5, Sugar 5, Protein 2.2
MARTHA'S SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD
A touch of rice flour is the secret to perfectly crisp shortbread. With such a short ingredient list, it's important to use the best-quality salted butter you can find.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes Cookie Recipes
Yield Makes one 8-inch round
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Coat an 8-inch ceramic shortbread mold with cooking spray; set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugar until well combined. Add flours and mix until just combined and a shaggy dough forms.
- Firmly press dough into mold in an even layer. Bake until edges just begin to turn golden, about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Remove from oven; turn oven off. Let shortbread cool in mold 10 minutes.
- Invert a parchment-lined baking sheet onto back of mold. Carefully re-invert, turning mold onto sheet; lift off mold. Using a sharp knife, cut shortbread into wedges. Separate wedges, then return sheet to oven until shortbread is dry, at least 1 hour. Let cool completely.
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