Glasgow Shortbread Food

TRADITIONAL SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 8x8 or 9x9 inch square baking pan. You can also use a round cake can and cut the shortbread into triangles.
• Place the caster sugar, flour, salt and butter in a food processor and pulse until it's combined and looks like coarse breadcrumbs but is soft and pliable and comes together in a dough when you press it together between your fingers. If it's too dry and crumbly it needs to be pulsed a bit longer. (If using any add-ins, stir them in at this point.)Pour the mixture into the greased baking pan. Use your fingers and hands to firmly press down the mixture. Note: If the mixture is too dry to work with, including pricking with a fork (see below), then it was not pulsed long enough in the food processor. Optional: Prick the shortbread with the tines of a fork, creating rows. Some people also like run a knife between each row of fork tines to make cutting the shortbread easier after it's baked. You can also prick the shortbread with a fork immediately after it is done baking while it is still warm; the holes will be more pronounced this way as they have a tendency to close during baking.
• Place the shortbread on the middle rack and bake for 30-35 minutes or until light golden and firm. Let cool. Cut and serve.Store the shortbread in an airtight container for up to several weeks. Its flavor and texture improves over time.

GLASGOW SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter together.
• Then add about 3 cups of the combined flour just so you can take the dough out the bowl to knead the rest of the flour in.
• Knead the flour in until the dough is of a smooth round ball.
• Almost the consistency of marzipan or almond paste. In the summer, when making this, you may need a little more flour.
• For two 8-inch cake pans: Cut the ball of dough in half.
• Flatten the dough into the pan, making a smooth surface. At this time, you can either use a fork and prick the dough all over or use what looks like a butter mold ( There are shortbread molds with thistle out there).
• Bake for one hour or until golden brown in an oven of 400 degrees. Enjoy

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.

REAL SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Sift cornstarch, sugar and flour together.
• Blend in butter until combined and then use hands to knead into a soft dough.
• Shape dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Place dough in the bottom of a greased 9x9-inch pan and bake at 300°F for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Cool completely in pan and cut into squares.
• Store in an airtight container.