Mini Shortbread Cookies Food

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!!

MINI CHOCOLATE CHIP SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix flour, butter, sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl until dough is smooth. Reserve 1/4 the chocolate chips; stir remaining chips into dough until evenly distributed. Roll dough into 24 small logs and place a baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven until slightly golden around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in baking sheet for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Melt shortening in a small saucepan over medium-low heat; stir in reserved chocolate chips until melted, about 5 minutes. Dip cookies into chocolate and return to baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm.

SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter and 1 cup of sugar until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
• Roll the dough 1/2-inch thick and cut with a 3 by 1-inch finger-shaped cutter. Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• When the cookies are cool, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Put 3 ounces of the chocolate in a glass bowl and microwave on high power for 30 seconds. (Don't trust your microwave timer; time it with your watch.) Stir with a wooden spoon. Continue to heat and stir in 30-second increments until the chocolate is just melted. Add the remaining chocolate and allow it to sit at room temperature, stirring often, until it's completely smooth. Stir vigorously until the chocolate is smooth and slightly cooled; stirring makes it glossier.
• Drizzle 1/2 of each cookie with just enough chocolate to coat it.

MINI SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• Sift the corn starch, icing sugar and flour.
• Blend in the butter until dough is completely smooth (I usually just use my hands to do this).
• Roll out dough on a floured surface to 1/4" thick.
• Cut cookies using a 1" round or heart shaped cookie cutter (these cookies turn out much better small).
• Reform the leftover pieces of cookie dough to roll and make more cookies.
• Place cookies on a shiny cookie pan (preferably one of the insulated types).
• Top cookies with either 1/4 or 1/2 of a cherry (these are tiny cookies and depending on cherry size do just fine with 1/4 of a cherry) OR a chocolate chip.
• Bake at 300 degrees F for 17-18 minutes.
• These cookies do not turn noticibly brown.

MELT-IN-YOUR-MOUTH MINI CHOCOLATE CHIP SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees (set oven rack to second-lowest position).
• Prepare an ungreased cookie/baking sheet.
• In a medium bowl beat softened butter with vanilla using an electric mixer until fluffy (about 4 minutes).
• Add in confectioners sugar, cornstarch and flour; beat on low speed for about 1 minute, then on high speed for 3-4 minutes more.
• Add in the mini chocolate chips; mix to combine.
• Drop by spoonfuls about 2-inches apart on the baking sheet.
• Bake for about 10-12 minutes (watch that the edges don't brown too much).
• Cool completely on wire racks then lightly dust with confectioners sugar if desired.

TINY SHORTBREAD TARTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour and mix well. , Shape into 1-in. balls; press onto the bottom and up the sides of greased miniature muffin cups. , Bake at 300° for 17-22 minutes or until set. Cool for 15 minutes before carefully removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Spoon 1 teaspoon of pie filling into each tart.