Food Processor Shortbread

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 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!!

CLASSIC SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-12-1/2-inch jelly roll pan and line it with parchment, then butter the paper.
• Whisk together the flour, cornstarch and salt in a bowl. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes. Slowly add the flour mixture and beat on low until the dough is just combined; do not overwork.
• Transfer the dough to the prepared pan, spreading it out as evenly as possible with a spatula. Cover with plastic wrap, then use your hands to press and flatten the dough into a smooth even layer. Remove the plastic and cut the dough with a sharp knife into approximately 1-by-3-inch bars. Use a fork to prick a decorative pattern into the tops.
• Bake, rotating the pan from front to back halfway through, until golden, 60 to 70 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes in the pan, then re-cut the bars along the previous cuts. Carefully lift the bars off the parchment with a small spatula and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

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.

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.

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.