Marthas Scottish Shortbread Food

MARTHA'S SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Coat an 8-inch ceramic shortbread mold with cooking spray; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugar until well combined. Add flours and mix until just combined and a shaggy dough forms.
• Firmly press dough into mold in an even layer. Bake until edges just begin to turn golden, about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Remove from oven; turn oven off. Let shortbread cool in mold 10 minutes.
• Invert a parchment-lined baking sheet onto back of mold. Carefully re-invert, turning mold onto sheet; lift off mold. Using a sharp knife, cut shortbread into wedges. Separate wedges, then return sheet to oven until shortbread is dry, at least 1 hour. Let cool completely.

SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees, with rack in upper third. Sift flour and salt into a bowl; set aside. Put butter into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl. Gradually add sugar; beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture all at once; mix until just combined.
• Using plastic wrap, press dough into an 8-inch shortbread mold coated with cooking spray. With plastic on dough, refrigerate 20 minutes. Prick all over with a wooden skewer. Bake 45 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes. Unmold; cut into wedges. Let cool completely.

SCOTTISH SHARP-CHEDDAR SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Using electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat together butter, salt, black pepper, and cayenne at low speed just until blended. Add Cheddar and flour and mix at low speed just until smooth (do not overmix). Shape dough into disk, wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper, and chill 30 minutes.
• Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• On lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4- to 1/8-inch-thick round. Using 1 1/2- to 2-inch round cutter, cut out rounds and arrange 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets. Reroll scraps if desired (rerolled scraps will be tougher).
• Bake shortbread until lightly golden and beginning to brown on edges, about 13 to 15 minutes. Cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• You will need an 8 inch (20cm) fluted flan tin with a loose base. However, Fiona doubles the recipe and uses a rectangular tin. I do the same.
• Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C / gas mark 2).
• Beat the butter in a bowl with a wooden spoon, then beat in the sugar, the sifted flour and the semolina. Work the ingredients together with the spoon, then finish off with your hands till you have a dough that doesn't leave any bits in the bowl.
• Transfer the dough to a flat surface and roll it out lightly to a round, then transfer the round to the tin. Press the mixture evenly into the tin, right into the fluted edges (if your tin is fluted). To make sure it's even you can give it a final roll with a small glass tumbler. Prick the shortbread all over with a fork or it will rise up in the centre while it's baking. Sprinkle the dough with slivered almonds if desired and a little bit of sugar.
• Bake the shortbread for 60-75 minutes on the centre shelf, then using a palette knife mark out the surface into twelve wedges while it's still warm. Leave it to cool in the tin, then remove the rim of the tin. Cut the shortbread into wedges (or into squares if you used a rectangular tin) and store in an airtight tin.
• Strawberry shortcake:.
• Make shortbread as above in an 8 inch tin. Leave it whole. Just before serving spread it with fresh cream or fromage frais and top it with strawberries. You may want to sweet your cream or strawberries with sugar.

SIMPLE SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar, vanilla and almond extract if desired. Add flour, beat until a stiff dough forms. Divide dough in half. Press into two greased 9-in. round baking pans. Use a fork to prick the dough over the entire surface randomly or in a pattern., Bake at 300° for 35 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges. Immediately turn out onto a cutting surface. While warm, cut into 12 wedges using a sharp knife or pizza cutter. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve plain or drizzle with melted caramel or chocolate and sprinkle with nuts if desired.,