SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD COOKIES


SET OVEN TO 350

  • CREAM 1 CUP ROOM TEMPERATURE BUTTER
  • ADD GRADUALLY 1/2 CUP CONFECTIONERS SUGAR
  • SIFT TOGETHER 2 CUPS FLOUR
  • 1/4 TSP SALT
  • 1/4TSP BAKING POWDER
  • ADD TO BUTTER MIXTURE
  • MIX WELL, TURN OUT ONTO BOARD, KNEAD TOGETHER AND ROLL OUT 1/4" TO 1/2" THICK
  • CUT OUT IN ROUNDS, SQUARES, OR WHATEVER MOLD YOU HAVE.
  • PRICK WITH FORK AND BAKE ON PARCHMENT LINED SHEETS FOR 20-25 MINUTES. JUST UNTIL LIGHTLY BROWNED ON THE EDGES

    • NOTES:

  • FLOUR: TOO MUCH OR WITHOUT SUFFICIENT MOISTURE CONTENT MAKES FOR TOUGH COOKIES.
  • ALSO. I USE CONFECTIONERS SUGAR TO ROLL OUT COOKIES, AGAIN SO THEY DON'T ABSORB TOO MUCH FLOUR
  • I USE A MIXTURE OF 1/2 ALL PURPOSE UNBLEACHED FLOUR AND 1/2 CAKE/PASTRY FLOUR.



    • GINGERBREAD COOKIES


  • SET OVEN TO 350


    • INGREDIENTS

  • 3 1/2 - 4 CUPS FLOUR (SEE NOTES BELOW)
    • 1 TSP BAKING SODA 1 TSP SALT 1 - 1 1/2 TSP EA. GINGER, CINNAMON, NUTMEG (or MACE),CLOVES, CARDAMON
  • 1 CUP MOLASSES (ANY KIND EXCEPT BLACKSTRAP SULFURED) (Too salty for G-Bread)
  • 6 TBS BUTTER
  • 1/4 CUP BROWN SUGAR
    • 1/4 CUP GRANULATED WHITE SUGAR
  • 2 TBS MILK AND/OR CREAM



  • SIFT TOGETHER DRY INGREDIENTS

    • HEAT MOLASSES TO THE BOILING POINT ADD BUTTER, SUGARS, AND MILK STIR ALL TOGETHER UNTIL SUGARS ARE AT LEAST SEMI-DISSOLVED
    ADD THIS MIXTURE TO DRY INGREDIENTS MIX WELL AND KNEAD UNTIL DOUGH RESEMBLES TEXTURE AND HANDLING FEEL OF PLAYDOH (PLASTICINE) - SOFT, FLUID, SOMEWHAT SHINY. (THIS MAY DEPEND UPON THE HUMIDITY AND AMOUNT OF FLOUR FINALLY USED.)

    LET DOUGH REST IN THE FRIDGE FOR 1/2 HOUR BEFORE ROLLING OUT AND SHAPING THIS DOUGH KEEPS WELL IN THE FRIDGE AND CAN BE FROZEN ROLL OUT TO 1/4" THICKNESS AND CUT TO YOUR PREFERRED SHAPE

    BAKE ON PARCHMENT LINED SHEETS @ 325 FOR 10-13 MINUTES, CHECKING EDGES SHOULD JUST BE SLIGHTLY BROWN TIME WILL DEPEND ON THE SIZE OF THE COOKIES

    TIPS:
    FLOUR: I HAVE DEVELOPED A STANDARD OF FLOUR FOR BAKING EVERYTHING. MY BLEND CONSISTS OF 50% UNBLEACHED ALL PURPOSE FLOUR, MIXED WITH AN EQUAL AMOUNT OF CAKE/PASTRY FLOUR. I FOUND THAT PLAIN FLOUR "OVER ABSORBS" LIQUIDS. THIS RESULTS IN DRY CRACKING PASTRIES AND COOKIES. SO FOR THE GINGERBREAD RECIPE IT SOMETIMES TAKES ONLY 3 1/2 CUPS, BUT OCCASIONALLY 4 CUPS MAY BE REQUIRED.

    TIPS: SHAPING AND ROLLING: USE CONFECTIONERS/POWDERED SUGAR WHEN ROLLING OUT. THE ABSORPTION RATE OF FLOUR OFTEN MAKES COOKIES COME OUT DRY AND TOUGH. THIS ALSO HOLDS TRUE FOR OTHER PASTRIES AND THERE IS NO TRANSFER OF FLAVOUR FROM THE SUGAR TO THE DOUGH.