Shortbread Sampler Recipes

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!

Steps:

• Beat butter and sugar until fluffy.
• Blend in vanilla.
• Add 2 cups flour, 1 cup at a time.
• Roll out on floured surface; cut into 2 inch squares.
• Put on ungreased cookie sheet; prick the tops with a fork.
• Bake at 325* for 25 minutes or until top is very light brown.

Steps:

• preheat oven to 350* mix flour, butter and icing sugar together~blend well.
• form into balls a bit smaller than golf balls.
• place on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
• slightly flatten-- very slightly.
• bake for 15-17 mins.
• until golden.
• watch to not overbake.
• cool on wire rack.
• melt chocolate on low heat.
• cool.
• dip about 1/3 of the cookie in chocolate.
• let excess drip off.
• dip into crushed pistachios.
• do the same with next 12 cookies but dip in skor bits.
• put some melted chocolate in ziploc baggie snip off one corner or use a icing bag and drizzle over some plain cookies.
• you will end up with 3 types 12 each kind:chocolate dipped with pistachios, chocolate dipped with skor bits and chocolate drizzle.

Steps:

• Blend sugar and salt in processor. Cut in butter using on/off turns until blended and smooth. Blend in vanilla. Add flour and process until blended but still slightly crumbly, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Position rack in top third of oven and preheat to 250°F. Divide dough in half. Press each half onto bottom of 8-inch-diameter cake pan or 9-inch-diameter pie dish. Bake shortbread 30 minutes. Rotate pans and continue baking until cooked through and very pale golden, about 30 minutes longer. Cool in pans on racks 10 minutes. Cut each warm shortbread while still in pan into 12 wedges. Cool completely. Using thin spatula, carefully transfer wedges to platter. (Shortbread can be prepared up to 4 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)

Steps:

• mix flour and sugar in a bowl.
• add butter in in small chunks.
• work with hands until you get a fine crumbley mixture that still sets when pressed.
• press shortbread mixture onto an ungreased non-stick cookie sheet or pan.
• bake for 30mins at 325 (time will vary depending on thickness) watch for it to turn a pale tan color.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Place all ingredients into food processor (use pastry blade if available.).
• Blend until ingredients form a ball.
• Press into ungreased pie pan.
• Using a fork decorate the edges and pierce throughout to prevent bubbles.
• Dust with granulated sugar if desired.
• Cook for 30-40 minutes until lightly browned at edges.
• Cool 10 minutes and then cut into 1/2 to 1 inch wedges.