Lennies Special Shortbread Food

LENNIE'S SPECIAL SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Chop cold butter into chunks.
• In cuisinart fitted with metal blade, process butter with icing sugar until well creamed, about one minute; you may have to scrape down the sides.
• Add remaining ingredients and process with several on/off turns, just until dough is well mixed and begins to gather together in a ball around the blade.
• What I do now is wrap this dough in wax paper and put it in the fridge, and make up a second batch with the remaining 1/2 pound of butter (1 cup butter= 1/2 pound); I then put that dough in the fridge and proceed with the first batch I made.
• Raw dough keeps well in the fridge for several days.
• Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into small balls.
• Place on an ungreased cookie sheet (shiny is best) and flatten, using a fork dipped in icing sugar, cookie press dipped in icing sugar, or a cherry or nut (halved).
• I often put coloured sprinkles or coloured sugars on top of cookies before baking.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes, watching carefully; edges should be very lightly browned.
• Yield: 40-50 cookies.

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.