Snowflake Shortbread Food

SHORTBREAD SNOWFLAKES

Steps:

• Whisk flour, salt, and cardamom in a medium bowl. Put butter and granulated sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in vanilla. Reduce speed to low, and gradually mix in flour mixture.
• Press the dough into a 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheet. Press parchment paper onto surface, and smooth top. Remove parchment; wrap sheet in plastic. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using snowflake-shape cutters, cut out cookies, and arrange by size on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate 15 minutes. Sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake until golden, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

SNOWFLAKE SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Line cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper.
• In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating well. In small bowl, mix flour and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended.
• On lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut with 2-inch snowflake-shaped cookie cutter. On cookie sheets, place cutouts 1 inch apart.
• Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes. Decorate with white icing; sprinkle with sparkling sugar. Store between sheets of waxed paper in tightly covered container at room temperature.

SNOWFLAKE-STENCILED SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine butter, confectioners' sugar, and salt; process until smooth. Add flour and pulse just until combined. Form dough into an 8-inch-long round or square log; wrap tightly in plastic and freeze until firm, 30 minutes (or up to 1 month).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Cut dough into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Dip edges in sugar if desired and transfer to two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies are golden brown around edges, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cookies cool 5 minutes on sheets. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
• To decorate: On desired paper, draw shape (use a cutter as a guide). Fold paper in half and cut out shape, leaving border intact.
• Lay either stencil on cookie. With a fine-mesh sieve, dust cookie with confectioners' sugar or cocoa powder.
• Carefully lift off stencil.