The Best All Butter Shortbread Food

THE BEST ALL-BUTTER SHORTBREAD RECIPE

Steps:

• Put the butter in a large bowl and soften with a wooden spoon. Add the sugar and mix together. Be careful not to incorporate too much air or to overwork the mixture.
• Sift over the flour and semolina, then stir until well mixed. Knead briefly with your hands until smooth, then shape into a neat disc.
• Draw a 23cm circle on a sheet of baking paper. Roll out the dough to fit the circle, keeping the edge neat. Crimp the edge with your thumb, then, using a palette knife and ruler, mark 8 equal segments. Finally, use a fork to prick the dough - try to do this as neatly as possible, pressing the fork right through the dough (this will prevent it from rising).
• Chill for 20 minutes until firm. Preheat a flat baking sheet in the oven to 160°C/fan140°C/gas 3.
• Transfer the shortbread and its paper to the baking sheet and bake for 55 minutes until pale golden, being careful not to let it brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle evenly with sugar. Loosen the base from the paper by running a palette knife underneath. Cool until crisp enough to move, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

TRADITIONAL SCOTTISH PURE BUTTER SHORTBREAD COOKIES - BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325F degrees.
• Blend the confectioner's sugar into the butter, and then gradually add the flour, 1 cup at a time. Dough will be very thick. At this point, you may add crushed lavender flowers or rosemary, if you wish.
• Place dough on floured surface, pat down, and roll out into a square or circle 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 2 1/2 inch squares or Petticoat Tail wedges, and carefully place on an ungreased baking sheet.
• Prick the top of each square or wedge with a fork.
• Bake at 325F degrees for 25 to 30 minutes; cookies should be pale on top, but golden brown on the bottom.
• Remove from oven, sprinkle with sugar if you wish, and cool on wire racks.
• Store in an airtight container.

THE BEST SHORTBREAD COOKIES FOUR WAYS

Steps:

• All of the shortbreads are made in the same manner using an electric mixer. If you're making a shortbread with two kinds of flour, whisk the flours together.
• Working in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter, confectioners' sugar, salt and zest, if using, together on medium speed until soft, creamy and homogenous, scraping the bowl as needed. One by one, beat in the yolks, followed by the vanilla.
• Turn off the mixer, add the flour(s) all at once and mix on low speed only until incorporated. If you've got wheat germ, chocolate or flax seeds or nuts, mix in now.
• Scrape the dough out onto the work surface and divide it in two; the dough will be soft and sticky. Put each piece on a sheet of parchment and cajole it into a log that's 6 to 6 1⁄2 inches long, tightening the log with the paper and twisting the ends. Refrigerate the logs for at least 3 hours (overnight is better) or freeze them for 2 hours. (The logs can be frozen for up 2 months; slice when they're still frozen. You might need to add a minute to the oven time.)
• When you're ready to bake: Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.
• Using a chef's knife, cut each log into 1⁄2-inch-thick rounds. Lay them out on the baking sheet, leaving about an inch between them.
• Bake, rotating the cookie sheet after 10 minutes, for 21 to 23 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown around the edges and set. The cookies will still be soft, so leave them on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack and allowing them to cool to room temperature. DO AHEAD: The cookies can be packed in an airtight container and kept at room temperature for at least 5 days.