Great Aunt Annies Traditional Shortbread Food

GREAT-AUNT ANNIE'S TRADITIONAL SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Spray a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar. Stir in vanilla. With mixer on low speed, slowly add flour. Mix until well combined.
• Evenly spread cookie dough into prepared tart pan. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sprinkle shortbread with sanding sugar. Using a 2-inch round fluted cookie cutter, make a shallow cut in the center of the dough. Using the tines of a fork, score dough from the edge of the circle in the center toward the edge of the pan into 12 equal wedges.
• Transfer tart pan to oven and bake until light brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the shortbread comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Immediately re-score circle and wedges with cookie cutter and the tines of a fork. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool 1 hour. Remove shortbread from tart pan and let cool completely. Cut into wedges with a serrated knife along the scored lines.

TRADITIONAL SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Mix the flour and sugar first, and then rub in the butter.
• Knead the mixture until it becomes a smooth paste.
• Roll out till about 3/4 inch thick or 2cm thick.
• Cut into rectangles and decorate the top with a fork creating rows of holes.
• Transfer to a greased baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes at 160°C (325°F/Gas Mark 3). They want to stay pale and light golden.
• In warm weather you may want to chill the cookies before baking.
• This recipe can also be used for petticoat tails. Just split the mixture in two and flatten into 7 inch rounds about a half inch thick (1cm). Mark top into 8 portions and decorate with a fork. Bake for 30 minutes.
• To use a shortbread mold: Mix a teaspoon of flour and a teaspoon of caster sugar. Grease the mold with oil and evenly sprinkle half the flour/sugar mix. Press the shortbread into the mold, and turn out onto a baking sheet before baking.

GREAT-AUNT ANNIE'S TRADITIONAL SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Spray a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar.
• Stir in vanilla.
• With mixer on low speed, slowly add flour.
• Mix until well combined.
• Evenly spread cookie dough into prepared tart pan. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Sprinkle shortbread with sanding sugar.
• Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter, make a shallow cut in the center of the dough.
• Using the tines of a fork, score dough from the edge of the circle in the center towards the edge of the pan into 12 equal wedges.
• Transfer tart pan to oven and bake until light brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the shortbread comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes.
• Immediately re-score circle and wedges with cookie cutter and the tines of a fork.
• Transfer to a wire rack and let cool 1 hour.
• Remove shortbread from tart pan and let cool completely.
• Cut into wedges with a serrated knife along the scored lines.

WHIPPED SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, combine butter, flour, and confectioners' sugar. With an electric mixer, beat for 10 minutes, until light and fluffy. Spoon onto cookie sheets, spacing cookies 2 inches apart. Place a piece of maraschino cherry onto the middle of each cookie, alternating between red and green.
• Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the bottoms of the cookies are lightly browned. Remove from oven, and let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer cookies on to wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container, separating each layer with waxed paper.

AUNTIE ANNE'S COPYCAT PRETZELS

Steps:

• Grease a baking sheet.
• Sprinkle yeast onto lukewarm (about 115 degrees) water in a mixing bowl and stir to dissolve.
• Add sugar and salt and stir to dissolve.
• Add flour and knead dough (in bowl) until smooth and elastic.
• Cover and let rise at least 1/2 hour.
• Mix the bath of warm water and baking soda in a shallow bowl and stir often.
• Divide dough and roll into a long, thin rope, the thinner the better. 1/2" thick is great if you have the skill and patience. This gets easier with practice.
• Shape into a pretzel (make a u-shape, twist, then bring ends down to form shape), dip into water bath and place on greased baking sheet.
• Allow pretzels to rise again (I prefer to keep them covered during the rise).
• Bake in a preheated, 450 degree oven for about 8 minutes. Bake ONLY until JUST golden. If they are overcooked, they are tough.
• While they are baking, melt butter and whisk a little bit of honey into the butter (I use about a tablespoon for 4 pretzels but you can use whatever you prefer).
• When pretzels are almost done, brush each one with the butter/honey mixture and return to the oven for about a minute.
• You can sprinkle on cinnamon sugar just after brushing on the butter, or skip the honey and sprinkle with parmesan cheese, garlic salt, coarse salt, or whatever topping you like.
• These can also be made into tasty pretzel sticks.

AUNT MARY'S SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Beat the sugar and butter with a spoon until creamy. In three batches, sift and mix the flour into the sugar-butter mixture. Mix well, until fluffy. (my Aunt Mary uses a wooden spoon for mixing, but you can use electric beaters).
• Pat the dough flat onto a greased cookie sheet, covering about 3/4 of the pan (I pat the dough into neatly formed rectangular shape). Puncture the dough at regular intervals with a fork. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Cut into 15 pieces per pan (1 inch wide). Bake 1/2 hour at 300-325°F Let cool.