Food Processor Shortbread Cookies

SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 160C/325F (standard) or 150C/300F (fan forced / convection).
• Butter and line a 31.5 x 23.5 cm / 9 x 13" pan with baking paper with overhang.
• Beat butter until smooth (or use very soft butter and a wooden spoon). Add icing sugar and beat until combined.
• Add half the flour and beat until mostly combined - it will resemble wet sand. Then beat in the remainder. Use your hands to bring it together into a smooth ball of dough - knead lightly if required.
• Roughly press down into a rectangle shape, then transfer into the pan. Press into the pan. Optional: Roll over the top using a small rolling pin or glass (that's what I used) for a smooth surface. Don't press down too hard - it makes the cookies firmer
• Bake for 20 minutes until edges are very light golden and most of the surface is still pale gold.
• Remove from the oven. Working quickly, cut into desired shape (I do 8 x 3 bars, like Walker's shortbread biscuits) and prick all over with a fork (optional).
• Return to the oven for 8 minutes or until the surface is light golden - not browned. Turn the oven off, crack it open ajar, then leave to cool for at least 1 hour in the oven.
• Remove from the oven, use paper overhang to remove the biscuits from the pan. Cool fully on rack. Serve with tea!!

FOOD PROCESSOR SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Place sugar, flour, salt, and any optional ingredients in the food processor. Pulse two or three times just to toss the ingredients together.
• Add the stick of softened butter, cut into several pieces. Process on high for ten seconds. Stir with a small spoon to catch flour that may collect under the blades or on the sides.
• Process another ten seconds. At this point it should be very crumbly and well mixed. If you still see bits of butter, process another five to ten seconds.
• Dump the crumbly mass onto a piece of plastic wrap about 12" x 18". Let the plastic wrap help you form the mass into a log about 12" long and 2" in diameter.
• Wrap the log and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Divide dough into 16 or 24 equal parts. Roll each into a ball and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten each ball to a 1/4" thick disk using the bottom of a drinking glass or other flat surface. Alternatively, form a crescent or other shape for the cookies.
• Bake 16-25 minutes or until the edges brown slightly. Larger cookies will take longer. Allow to cool on the paper. They are very fragile while still hot.

FOOD PROCESSOR SHORTBREAD

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.

CLASSIC SHORTBREAD COOKIES IN 4 INGREDIENTS WITH ADDED 1 INGREDIENT VARIATIONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Add the flour, salt, and powdered sugar to a food processor and pulse to combine. Add in the vanilla, the butter and the 1 teaspoon of water. Pulse together just until a dough is formed. Put the dough on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a log, about 2 1/2 inches in diameter and 5 inches long. Tightly twist each end of the wrap in opposite directions. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
• Slice the log into 1/3-inch thick disks. Arrange on nonstick cookie sheets, parchment lined or silpat lined baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake until the edges are just light brown, about 12 to 14 minutes, rotating the pans half way through the baking process. Remove from the oven and let cool on the cookie sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and cool until room temperature. Enjoy!
• Variations:
• Pulse together the tea with the flour and salt in a food processor just until the tea is in small pieces evenly distributed throughout the flour. Then add the powdered sugar, vanilla, the butter and the 1 teaspoon of water. Continue as instructed above.
• Pulse the toasted and chopped pecans into the dough and then shape into a flattened round disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. On a flour dusted surface, roll the dough out to approximately 1/3-inch thick. (If the dough is too hard to roll or begins to crack, let it rest at room temperature for a few minutes until pliable.) With a sharp knife, cut the dough into rectangle shapes about 1 by 3-inches. Arrange on the prepared baking sheets and follow the cooking instructions as above. Dust slightly cooled cookies with powdered sugar through a fine mesh strainer.

SHORTBREAD RECIPE

Steps:

• Place the butter and 140g sugar in a food processor and whizz until smooth.
• Tip in both the flours and a pinch of salt, then whizz until mixture comes together.
• Using your hands, roughly spread the mixture out in a 20 x 30 x 4cm baking tray. Cover with cling film and smooth over until there are no wrinkles. Place in the fridge, uncooked, for at least 30 mins and up to 2 days.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Remove cling film, then lightly mark the shortbread all over with a fork.
• Sprinkle with the remaining sugar, then bake for 20-25 mins.
• Leave to cool in the tin, then cut into 24 thin slices. Shortbread will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

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.

SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Put a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
• Blend together butter, sugar, vanilla and salt in a food processor (or bowl) until well combined. Sift flour over butter mixture and blend until a soft dough forms.
• Transfer dough to an ungreased baking sheet. With floured fingertips, pat into a 9-by-4 1/2 inch rectangle. Crimp edges decoratively with tines of fork and prick dough all over. Score dough crosswise with the back of a knife into 8 pieces.
• Bake shortbread until edges are golden, about 15 minutes.
• Cool on baking sheet on a rack for 10 minutes, then cut into slices (while still warm) with a sharp knife. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• Keeps in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.