Shortbreads are delicious crumbly biscuits of the Scottish tradition. The basic recipe is very easy to remember and is practically identical to that of shortcrust pastry: 1 part of sugar, 2 of butter and 3 of flour. The version described in this article is slightly more complex to improve its texture and make sure the dough cooks to perfection. The shapes in wedges and round biscuits are obtained from the same preparation.
Ingrediants
- 115 g of salted butter
- 55 g sugar (superfine, granulated, icing)
- 130 g of flour 00
- 40 g of rice flour or other plain flour
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Prepare the Dough
Step 1. Prepare the oven
Preheat it to 160 ° C and place the grill on the middle shelf.
Step 2. Place the cold butter in a bowl
Take 115 g of salted butter that you have softened a little at room temperature; it must be malleable but it must not melt. Cut it into small pieces and transfer it to the bowl.
- Most of the flavor of shortbreads comes from butter, so using a fresh, high-quality one makes a huge difference; generally, a version with a high percentage of fat and a slightly acidic flavor is preferred.
- If you only have unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt to the recipe. It won't blend very well into the dough, as this is very dry, but that's not a major problem.
Step 3. Cream the butter with the sugar
For this recipe you need 55 g of sugar, but the type to choose depends on the consistency you want to get. Usually, you opt for superfine sugar, for a sandy dough, or for the icing one that makes the dough smoother, making it literally melt in your mouth. Whichever sugar you choose, beat it with butter until you get a light, fluffy cream.
- This step takes about three minutes, you should use a food processor equipped with a paddle attachment and operated at low speed; if you decide to proceed manually, you need more time.
- You can make the granulated sugar slightly finer by blending it.
- You can use regular granulated sugar, but in this case the dough is a bit rougher.
Step 4. Sift the flour and fold it into the butter
Sift about 130 g with 40 g of rice flour to remove any lumps; transfer it to the buttercream and stir the mixture until a soft, crack-free dough forms. If the process takes more than 6-7 minutes, slowly add a few drops of water, but not more than 15 ml.
- Food processors and planetary machines could work the mixture excessively making it hard; if you decide to use an appliance, set the minimum speed and end the manual passage. The warmth of the hands helps the dough to remain compact.
- Rice flour gives it a sandy texture; however, shortbreads will be perfect even if you replace them with regular wheat flour.
Part 2 of 3: Bake the Shorbreads in wedges
Step 1. Line a round cake pan with parchment paper
Let the foil hang over the edges of the pan to help pull out the cake later. The doses of this recipe allow you to fill a 15 cm diameter cake pan.
- In this way, you get a rather thick pastry disc with a soft heart.
- Alternatively, you can use a special mold that leaves a decoration on the surface; in this case, dust the mold with icing sugar and put it in the refrigerator.
Step 2. Gently press the dough into the pan
Flatten it on the bottom, manipulating it as little as possible. If you want a smooth surface, cover the shortbread with cling film and flatten it with a pastry roller or light jar.
Step 3. Let the mixture cool (recommended)
Cover the pan with cling film and put it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes (or even an entire hour, if you are a perfectionist); in this way, you improve the consistency of the cake.
Step 4. Practice dotted lines with a fork
Prick the surface of the dough defining eight or sixteen wedges; pierce each wedge in different places. These holes, in addition to being decorative, allow the steam to escape from the dough avoiding bubbles and cracks.
The wedged shape is the traditional presentation of the shortbread and is called "petticoat tails"
Step 5. Bake for 35-60 minutes
The dough is ready as soon as it becomes golden on the edges or even earlier; if the pan has a smaller diameter, cooking times are longer, since the mixture is thicker.
Step 6. Cut the cake and wait for it to cool
Wait a few minutes and remove the shortbread from the pan using parchment paper. Cut the disc into wedges while it is still hot using a pizza wheel or knife; arrange them on a wire rack to reach room temperature. Serve the cookies or refrigerate them in an airtight container.
If you wish, you can sprinkle them with sugar
Part 3 of 3: Bake Round Shortbreads
Step 1. Tap the dough into an elongated shape
Model it with your hands, minimizing processing; later, you will have to slice the roll into disks, then evaluate the diameter based on the size of the biscuits you want to get.
If your hands are hot, it is best to avoid manipulating the mixture too much; in this case, flatten it on a sheet of baking paper and make some discs with the pastry cutter. If you have it, dust the rolling pin with powdered sugar instead of flour
Step 2. Leave to cool in the refrigerator
Cover the pasta with cling film and place it in the appliance; wait at least 15 minutes, preferably 30 or 60, to prevent the biscuits from dilating too much in the oven.
Step 3. Slice the roll
To get soft, chewy cookies in the center, the thickness of each disc should be between 5 and 12mm.
Step 4. Prick the surface with a fork
Prick each cookie once or twice to allow the steam to escape from the holes instead of forming bubbles or breaking the dough.
Step 5. Bake for 15 minutes
Transfer the biscuits to a baking tray covered with parchment paper and bake them, checking them after about 12 minutes, especially if they are rather thin. They are ready when they are hard but still pale or just golden if you prefer a more crunchy consistency; if they turn brown, take them out of the oven right away as the underside is cooking too fast compared to the top.
Step 6. Let them get cold before eating them
Transfer them to a wire rack and wait for them to reach room temperature; sprinkle them with sugar if you prefer a sweeter and shinier dessert.
Store the leftover ones in an airtight tubular container and consume them within a couple of weeks
Advice
- Shortbread is a perfect base for all kinds of flavorful ingredients; for example, you can try making it scented with a lavender extract.
- Dip the cookies in melted chocolate for an even sweeter dessert or try something different by making the caramel and chocolate shortbread.
