I used to make it with just flour, butter and sugar. Now they add cornstarch,
baking powder, nuts, extracts. Which one do you favor?

Henrietta

Hazels65 wrote:
> I used to make it with just flour, butter and sugar. Now they add
cornstarch,
> baking powder, nuts, extracts. Which one do you favor?
>
> Henrietta

I prefer the Scottish method - flour, butter, sugar where the butter
(unsalted)
and sugar are creamed very well and then kneaded into the flour. 15
min kneading is said to produce light, buttery shortbread that melts in
the mouth. Everyone seems to love mine at Christmas done this way. I
use a shortbread wooden press that is tear-shaped with a thistle in the
middle. I give them away in fours in cellophane tied with a tartan
ribbon.
Oh, occasionally I will add crystalised ginger to the shortbread which
is probably sacriledge to the Scots, but it is very yummy if ginger is
your favourite 'spice'.
Today I was in a hurry and made a batch of Speculaars cookies (biscuits
to the Old World) full of spices and made with brown sugar, stamped out
with a cookie cutter.
These are great gifts to retailers who have looked after you during the
year - they love something special to have with a cuppa during frantic
Xmas week and appreciate your culinary efforts.
Cheers
Bronwyn
Queensland, Oz.

Hazels65 wrote:
> I used to make it with just flour, butter and sugar. Now they add
cornstarch,
> baking powder, nuts, extracts. Which one do you favor?
>
> Henrietta

I prefer the Scottish method - flour, butter, sugar where the butter
(unsalted)
and sugar are creamed very well and then kneaded into the flour. 15
min kneading is said to produce light, buttery shortbread that melts in
the mouth. Everyone seems to love mine at Christmas done this way. I
use a shortbread wooden press that is tear-shaped with a thistle in the
middle. I give them away in fours in cellophane tied with a tartan
ribbon.
Oh, occasionally I will add crystalised ginger to the shortbread which
is probably sacriledge to the Scots, but it is very yummy if ginger is
your favourite 'spice'.
Today I was in a hurry and made a batch of Speculaars cookies (biscuits
to the Old World) full of spices and made with brown sugar, stamped out
with a cookie cutter.
These are great gifts to retailers who have looked after you during the
year - they love something special to have with a cuppa during frantic
Xmas week and appreciate your culinary efforts.
Cheers
Bronwyn
Queensland, Oz.

Hazels65 wrote:
> I used to make it with just flour, butter and sugar. Now they add
> cornstarch, baking powder, nuts, extracts. Which one do you favor?
>
> Henrietta

I don't know who "they" are My Scottish grandmother made it with 3/4 c.
unsalted butter, 4 c. sifted flour, 1 c. sugar and 1/4 tsp. salt. Cream the
butter and sugar together until smooth; stir the salt into the flour and
then work the flour into the butter mixture until you have a stiff dough.
Press into a greased 6X9 baking pan, pressing with a glass to smooth the
dough. Prick the dough all over with the tines of a fork. Bake at 275F
50-60 minutes or until lightly browned.

Jill

Hazels65 wrote:
> I used to make it with just flour, butter and sugar. Now they add
> cornstarch, baking powder, nuts, extracts. Which one do you favor?
>
> Henrietta

I don't know who "they" are My Scottish grandmother made it with 3/4 c.
unsalted butter, 4 c. sifted flour, 1 c. sugar and 1/4 tsp. salt. Cream the
butter and sugar together until smooth; stir the salt into the flour and
then work the flour into the butter mixture until you have a stiff dough.
Press into a greased 6X9 baking pan, pressing with a glass to smooth the
dough. Prick the dough all over with the tines of a fork. Bake at 275F
50-60 minutes or until lightly browned.

Jill

One time on Usenet, (Hazels65) said:

> I used to make it with just flour, butter and sugar. Now they add cornstarch,
> baking powder, nuts, extracts. Which one do you favor?

The only things I want added to my shortbread are vanilla and/or
chocolate. Cornstarch? Baking powder? Weird...


--
J.J. in WA ~ mom, vid gamer, novice cook ~
"I rule you!" - Travis of the Cosmos, ATHF

One time on Usenet, (Hazels65) said:

> I used to make it with just flour, butter and sugar. Now they add cornstarch,
> baking powder, nuts, extracts. Which one do you favor?

The only things I want added to my shortbread are vanilla and/or
chocolate. Cornstarch? Baking powder? Weird...


--
J.J. in WA ~ mom, vid gamer, novice cook ~
"I rule you!" - Travis of the Cosmos, ATHF

"Hazels65" > wrote in message
...
>I used to make it with just flour, butter and sugar. Now they add
>cornstarch,
> baking powder, nuts, extracts. Which one do you favor?

My MIL's recipe, which produces cookies that absolutely melt in your mouth
was this:

1 lb butter (left at room temp for a few hours)
3 cups AP flour
1 cup cornstarch
1 cup icing sugar.

Her recipe called for sifting flour, cornstarch & icing sugar into softened
butter and mixing & kneading well.
I start with cold butter & throw everything in the Cuisinart. That produces
the same melt in your mouth cookies, less work.

Gabby

Hazels65 wrote:
> I used to make it with just flour, butter and sugar. Now they add cornstarch,
> baking powder, nuts, extracts. Which one do you favor?
>
> Henrietta

I go traditinal Scottish most of the time, butter, sugar, flour. Ground
pecans are a tasty addition, but not the norm here.

Jessica

Hazels65 wrote:
> I used to make it with just flour, butter and sugar. Now they add cornstarch,
> baking powder, nuts, extracts. Which one do you favor?
>
> Henrietta

I go traditinal Scottish most of the time, butter, sugar, flour. Ground
pecans are a tasty addition, but not the norm here.

Jessica

"Gabby" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> My MIL's recipe, which produces cookies that absolutely melt in your mouth
> was this:
>
> 1 lb butter (left at room temp for a few hours)
> 3 cups AP flour
> 1 cup cornstarch
> 1 cup icing sugar.
>
> Her recipe called for sifting flour, cornstarch & icing sugar into
softened
> butter and mixing & kneading well.
> I start with cold butter & throw everything in the Cuisinart. That
produces
> the same melt in your mouth cookies, less work.
>
> Gabby
>
>

Just wondering...are you quite sure it's 1 cup cornstarch, rather than, for
example, 1/4 or 1/3? I know there are a lot of whipped shortbread recipes
around, but on the occasions that I've accidentally used more than 1/4 (or
maybe it was 1/3, I'd have to check) cup of cornstarch, I got a very
unpleasant tasting cookie that crumbled much too easily.

It's my favourite, too, though I see it as a different animal from Scottish
shortbread.

rona
--
***For e-mail, replace .com with .ca Sorry for the inconvenience!***

"[America] is filled with people who decided not to live in Europe. We had
people who really wanted to live in Europe, but didn't have the energy to go
back. We call them Canadians."
---Grover Norquist in Newsweek, November 22, 2004

"Gabby" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> My MIL's recipe, which produces cookies that absolutely melt in your mouth
> was this:
>
> 1 lb butter (left at room temp for a few hours)
> 3 cups AP flour
> 1 cup cornstarch
> 1 cup icing sugar.
>
> Her recipe called for sifting flour, cornstarch & icing sugar into
softened
> butter and mixing & kneading well.
> I start with cold butter & throw everything in the Cuisinart. That
produces
> the same melt in your mouth cookies, less work.
>
> Gabby
>
>

Just wondering...are you quite sure it's 1 cup cornstarch, rather than, for
example, 1/4 or 1/3? I know there are a lot of whipped shortbread recipes
around, but on the occasions that I've accidentally used more than 1/4 (or
maybe it was 1/3, I'd have to check) cup of cornstarch, I got a very
unpleasant tasting cookie that crumbled much too easily.

It's my favourite, too, though I see it as a different animal from Scottish
shortbread.

rona
--
***For e-mail, replace .com with .ca Sorry for the inconvenience!***

"[America] is filled with people who decided not to live in Europe. We had
people who really wanted to live in Europe, but didn't have the energy to go
back. We call them Canadians."
---Grover Norquist in Newsweek, November 22, 2004

Hazels65 wrote:
> I used to make it with just flour, butter and sugar. Now they add
cornstarch,
> baking powder, nuts, extracts. Which one do you favor?
>
> Henrietta


2 sticks of butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup rice flour
1 tsp vanilla

Cream the butter and sugar and vanilla together, then gradually sift in
the flour, beating well after each addition. That's the basic dough.
If I'm feeling fancy, I add 1 cup coarsely chopped crystallized ginger
after all the flour has been added, and add 1 tsp of fresh ground
ginger to the flour mixture. I also sometimes add the fresh grated peel
of one lemon. If you can't find rice flour, you can use all regular
flour, and the cookies will still be very good. But the rice flour
makes them nicely crisp and a bit more delicate.

Roll the cookies out to about 3/8 inch, and cut into rounds. Bake in a
300 degrees F oven for 10-12 minutes. You want the cookies delicately
brown around the edges. These tend to disappear rapidly, so I guess
people like them. =o)Even a Scottish grandmother would probably like
them, even if she doesn't feel they're 100% authentic.

Melissa

Hazels65 wrote:
> I used to make it with just flour, butter and sugar. Now they add
cornstarch,
> baking powder, nuts, extracts. Which one do you favor?
>
> Henrietta


2 sticks of butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup rice flour
1 tsp vanilla

Cream the butter and sugar and vanilla together, then gradually sift in
the flour, beating well after each addition. That's the basic dough.
If I'm feeling fancy, I add 1 cup coarsely chopped crystallized ginger
after all the flour has been added, and add 1 tsp of fresh ground
ginger to the flour mixture. I also sometimes add the fresh grated peel
of one lemon. If you can't find rice flour, you can use all regular
flour, and the cookies will still be very good. But the rice flour
makes them nicely crisp and a bit more delicate.

Roll the cookies out to about 3/8 inch, and cut into rounds. Bake in a
300 degrees F oven for 10-12 minutes. You want the cookies delicately
brown around the edges. These tend to disappear rapidly, so I guess
people like them. =o)Even a Scottish grandmother would probably like
them, even if she doesn't feel they're 100% authentic.

Melissa

Rona Yuthasastrakosol wrote:
>
> "Gabby" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> >
> > My MIL's recipe, which produces cookies that absolutely melt in your mouth
> > was this:
> >
> > 1 lb butter (left at room temp for a few hours)
> > 3 cups AP flour
> > 1 cup cornstarch
> > 1 cup icing sugar.
> >
> > Her recipe called for sifting flour, cornstarch & icing sugar into
> softened
> > butter and mixing & kneading well.
> > I start with cold butter & throw everything in the Cuisinart. That
> produces
> > the same melt in your mouth cookies, less work.
> >
> > Gabby
> >
> >
>
> Just wondering...are you quite sure it's 1 cup cornstarch, rather than, for
> example, 1/4 or 1/3? I know there are a lot of whipped shortbread recipes
> around, but on the occasions that I've accidentally used more than 1/4 (or
> maybe it was 1/3, I'd have to check) cup of cornstarch, I got a very
> unpleasant tasting cookie that crumbled much too easily.
>
> It's my favourite, too, though I see it as a different animal from Scottish
> shortbread.
>
> rona


Probably right. Rice flour works well too instead of the cornstarch

Here is a Scottish recipe (from 'The Scottish Kitchen'):

4 oz flour
4 oz rice flour
4 oz butter
3 oz caster sugar
1 egg yolk, beaten
1 tsp cream

Sieve the flours together and rub in the butter. Stir in the sugar. Bind
the mixture with the egg yolk and cream.
Divide mixture in half and press into 1/2 inch thick rounds on a floured
board. Crimp the edges and mark into 6 or 8 sections. Mark with a fork
and bake at 300 F/149 C for 45 minutes until browned.

Rona Yuthasastrakosol wrote:
>
> "Gabby" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> >
> > My MIL's recipe, which produces cookies that absolutely melt in your mouth
> > was this:
> >
> > 1 lb butter (left at room temp for a few hours)
> > 3 cups AP flour
> > 1 cup cornstarch
> > 1 cup icing sugar.
> >
> > Her recipe called for sifting flour, cornstarch & icing sugar into
> softened
> > butter and mixing & kneading well.
> > I start with cold butter & throw everything in the Cuisinart. That
> produces
> > the same melt in your mouth cookies, less work.
> >
> > Gabby
> >
> >
>
> Just wondering...are you quite sure it's 1 cup cornstarch, rather than, for
> example, 1/4 or 1/3? I know there are a lot of whipped shortbread recipes
> around, but on the occasions that I've accidentally used more than 1/4 (or
> maybe it was 1/3, I'd have to check) cup of cornstarch, I got a very
> unpleasant tasting cookie that crumbled much too easily.
>
> It's my favourite, too, though I see it as a different animal from Scottish
> shortbread.
>
> rona


Probably right. Rice flour works well too instead of the cornstarch

Here is a Scottish recipe (from 'The Scottish Kitchen'):

4 oz flour
4 oz rice flour
4 oz butter
3 oz caster sugar
1 egg yolk, beaten
1 tsp cream

Sieve the flours together and rub in the butter. Stir in the sugar. Bind
the mixture with the egg yolk and cream.
Divide mixture in half and press into 1/2 inch thick rounds on a floured
board. Crimp the edges and mark into 6 or 8 sections. Mark with a fork
and bake at 300 F/149 C for 45 minutes until browned.

I got the idea of adding crystalized ginger to my own shortbread recipe
from seeing a box of Walker's ginger shortbread on a grocery store
shelf. So adding ginger to shortbread shouldn't be ENTIRELY abhorrent
to the Scots. I make shortbread with ginger in it for a friend of mine
who is insane about them. Now Walker's just won't do for her, she likes
the homemade kind, better. In fact, I should probably start laying in
supplies for her Christmas batch....<G>

Melissa

I got the idea of adding crystalized ginger to my own shortbread recipe
from seeing a box of Walker's ginger shortbread on a grocery store
shelf. So adding ginger to shortbread shouldn't be ENTIRELY abhorrent
to the Scots. I make shortbread with ginger in it for a friend of mine
who is insane about them. Now Walker's just won't do for her, she likes
the homemade kind, better. In fact, I should probably start laying in
supplies for her Christmas batch....<G>

Melissa

I got the idea of adding crystalized ginger to my own shortbread recipe
from seeing a box of Walker's ginger shortbread on a grocery store
shelf. So adding ginger to shortbread shouldn't be ENTIRELY abhorrent
to the Scots. I make shortbread with ginger in it for a friend of mine
who is insane about them. Now Walker's just won't do for her, she likes
the homemade kind, better. In fact, I should probably start laying in
supplies for her Christmas batch....<G>

Melissa

"Gabby" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> Definitely 1 cup. They're delicate (they'd never survive shipping) but
> delicious as my hips can attest after the holidays. ;o)
>
> Gabby
>
>

Thanks! I may just give it a try again--I have to bake 140 cookies for some
students graduating next month!

rona

--
***For e-mail, replace .com with .ca Sorry for the inconvenience!***

"[America] is filled with people who decided not to live in Europe. We had
people who really wanted to live in Europe, but didn't have the energy to go
back. We call them Canadians."
---Grover Norquist in Newsweek, November 22, 2004