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Chatelaine shortbread




Source of Recipe


First published in Chatelaine's 12/2003 issue


List of Ingredients




3/4 cup (175 mL) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (125 mL) icing sugar
1/2 tsp (2 mL) vanilla
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
1-1/3 cups (325 mL) all-purpose flour


Recipe



1. Preheat oven to 300F (150C). In a medium-size bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and salt. Using a wooden spoon, stir in flour just until mixed.

2. Scrape dough into an ungreased 8-inch (2-L) square baking dish. Lightly flour fingers. Pat mixture to an even thickness. Using a fork, lightly prick dough every 1 inch (2.5 cm). Bake in lower third of preheated 300F (150C) oven until edges are deep golden and centre is lightly golden, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven. Using a serrated knife, cut into squares, diamonds, triangles or fingers. Store in an airtight container in a cool place or in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

VARIATIONS

Following the recipe above, try these:

Chocolate Chunk and Orange

Beat 1 tsp (5 mL) finely grated orange peel with butter. Stir 1/2 cup (125 mL) coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate into dough. Bake, then cut into fingers or diamonds and cool.

Chocolate

Increase vanilla to 1 tsp (5 mL). Stir 1/3 cup (75 mL) unsweetened cocoa powder into flour before adding. Bake as directed until edges start to pull away from sides of pan, 30 to 40 minutes.

Chocolate Bar Fingers

Stir 3/4 cup (175 mL) coarsely chopped Toblerone or chocolate nougatine bar into dough. To coat with chocolate after baking, dip half of each cookie into melted chocolate and place on a rack until cool.

Savoury Rosemary and Pine Nut

Omit vanilla and stir 1/3 cup (75 mL) toasted pine nuts and 1 tbsp (15 mL) finely chopped rosemary leaves into dough. Pat into pan and randomly press small rosemary sprigs into surface before baking.

Curry and Currant

Omit vanilla and stir in 2 tbsp (30 mL) Madras curry paste and 1/4 cup (50 mL) dried currants. If currants arenýt fresh, soak in hot water for a few minutes to soften, then drain and dry well.

Citrus Poppy Seed

Beat 1 tbsp (15 mL) finely grated lemon or lime peel with butter. Along with flour, stir in 1 tbsp (15 mL) poppy seeds.

Sugar and Spice

Stir 1/4 tsp (1 mL) each ground cardamom and nutmeg into flour. Stir in 1/4 cup (50 mL) finely chopped candied ginger.