Dutch Shortbread Food

DUTCH SHORTBREAD BOTERKOEK 1973

Steps:

• Cream the room temperature but not too soft butter and margarine together with the sugar using a wooden spoon.
• Add the vanilla and unbeaten egg white only.
• Add the flour until a stiff dough forms, and can be handled.
• With floured hands pat into an 10 x 16 baking pan about 3/4 of an inch thick.
• Beat the egg yolk with the milk until combined well making an egg wash and brush over the patted out dough.
• Bake in an 300 degree, preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until slightly golden in colour.
• When still slightly warm, then score into squares or triangles. Cool thoroughly before storing into cookie tins.

SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Line a baking sheet with greaseproof (parchment) paper. Sift the flour and rice flour into a medium mixing bowl. Add the sugar and mix.
• Cut butter into pieces and rub into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture begins to bind together. Knead into soft dough.
• Roll the dough into an 8 inch round (or for exact round, mold it in an 8 inch cake pan). Place on baking sheet. Using a fork, prick top and make tine marks along edge. Using a table knife, score top with wedge marks. (This is where it will break when cooled)
• Bake 45 minutes or until pale golden in color. Sprinkle a little superfine sugar over top and cool on baking sheet. Cut into wedges. Keeps for weeks in airtight tin.

DUTCH COOKIES

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F
• Butter a 15- by 10- by 1-inch baking pan, then line bottom with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 ends, and butter foil.
• Whisk together flour, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl until combined.
• Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a stand mixer (preferably fitted with paddle attachment) or 6 minutes with a handheld. Beat in yolk; reduce speed to low, then mix in flour mixture until combined.
• Spread batter evenly in pan with an offset spatula.
• Lightly beat egg white in a small bowl, then brush some of it over batter and sprinkle evenly with pecans.
• Bake until top is golden brown and edges begin to pull away from sides of pan, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then transfer with foil to a cutting board; discard foil.
• Cut while still warm into 2-inch squares or, by halving squares diagonally, into triangles and cool completely on rack.

BOTERKOEK (DUTCH BUTTER CAKE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 8 inch round cake pans, or 9 inch pie plates.
• In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, reserving just enough to brush over the tops, about 1 tablespoon. Stir in the almond extract. Combine the flour and baking powder; stir into the batter by hand using a sturdy spoon. The dough will be stiff.
• Press evenly into the two prepared pans. Press almond halves into the top where each slice would be. Brush the tops with a thin layer of the reserved egg.
• Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Cut into wedges to serve.