Sunday, November 21, 2010

Shortbread Cookies

This was another of the saved baking recipes I had got from Joy of Baking. The shape and color had me bowled over and I had to try these. Especially for the newly bought, still unused heart shaped cookie cutter! Followed the recipe almost as is, though I didn’t follow the measurements exactly. The outcome was good, and was well received. This is sure to be a keeper, especially with the variations in texture that can be made.
Here’s how to make them....

Shortbread Cookies

Preparation time : 15 min + resting time
Cooking time : 15 min
Makes : ~20

Ingredients:
All purpose Flour (maida) - 2 cups
Unsalted butter - 1 cup, in room temperature
Powdered Sugar - ½ cup
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
Salt - a small pinch - ¼ tsp

Method:
• In a bowl mix flour and salt well
• In another bowl, beat butter till creamy for about a minute or two
• Mix in sugar and continue to beat till fluffy for another few minutes
• Add vanilla extract and mix thoroughly
• Fold in the flour and mix to combine. Do not knead.
• Flatten the dough, wrap it in a sheet and place it in refrigerator for 30 min
• After half an hour, remove from refrigerator, and flatten it using a rolling pin and cut out desired shapes.
• Place these on a greased tray, till all the dough is used up
• Place it in the refrigerator for 10 more minutes to firm up, so that the cookies retain the shape when baking
• Preheat the oven at 180 ÂșC and bake for 15 minutes. Check after about 10 minutes and adjust the time, not to over bake or under bake. A slight golden at the edges should be enough
• Let the cookies stand on the baking sheet till cool enough, else they crumble when tried to lift when hot
• Allow it to cool completely and then store away the rest in a tight container

Tips n Tricks:
• I found the dough too brittle to roll and cut. So I pinched out a small ball and flattened it on palm and cut the same with a cookie cutter

Variations:
• For a slightly crunchy texture replace 1/4 cup of the all purpose flour with rice flour
• For a more delicate tasting shortbread, with a melt-in-your-mouth texture, replace 1/2 cup of the all purpose flour with cornstarch (corn flour).

Sending these to Champa's Bake-off event.

6 comments:

  1. wow lovely cookies without eggs... i love it and book marked...

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  2. Woww am speechless, sooo prefect looking shortbread cookies..

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  3. The Cookies lookes great...nice one..

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  4. Sumana,
    Cookies look beautiful. They are so bright white in color that I fell in love with them. Thanks for sending such a pretty one.

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  5. I have NEVER baked cookies at home! I would love to try these. Look YUMMY!

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