Shortbread

                                                                         Week 50 ( Save $50 )
                                                    Week 51 ( Save $51 )
                                                    

Nothing speaks Christmas than Mmmmm buttery shortbread! Who has not made these classic melt in your mouth cookies.   There are so many recipe versions for shortbread. Whether it be mixed with cornstarch or flour to different essences but Butter is the main ingredient in making these delights.

Traditional Christmas Shortbreads are topped with glace cherries or red or green sprinkles.  The versatile dough no matter how you dress your shortbread up or keep it classic, somehow they always look store bought.

Here are three version of cookies you can make with your recipe of one batch of dough.

Classic shortbreads are plain and simple.  Whether you choose to roll them into logs and slice them 1/4 inch or roll 1/4 inch thick and use a 1.5 inch round cutter. Bake.









Cranberry orange shortbreads with  flecks of red and a hint of citrus.  Take your batch of shortbread dough and add 1/4 cup of white sugar to finely chopped dried cranberries.  Zest of orange or clementine. Mix the dough into two 1-1/2 inch thick logs wrapped in plastic and refrigerate until firm enough to slice.  Slice 1/4 inch thick and dip the slices into white sugar.  Bake.









Three tone shortbreads
Divide your batch of dough into 3 equal amounts in 3 bowls.  Add a few drops to red food coloring and chopped cherries or cranberries to one bowl.  For the second bowl, add brown food coloring or cocoa with chopped chocolate to desire shade of brown.  Third bowl will be plain and classic.

In a loaf pan, line the pan with an extra long sheet of plastic wrap ( extra 3 inch or more).  Place your classic shortbread dough and spread evenly in the lined loaf pan.  Take your pinky red dough and with your fingers spread evenly over the classic dough. Finally, take your chocolate dough and spread evenly over the pinky red dough. 

Take the long ends of the plastic wrap and cover the dough from all sides and smooth out the dough.  The plastic wrap will give you a smoother surface by rubbing it down.  Refrigerate the loaf pan until you can life the three layer dough out of the pan ( about 5 minutes or more).

Place the wrapped 3 layer dough on a small cutting board or anything that can keep and hold the dough flat.  Place the dough in the fridge until firm. At this point, you can freeze the dough until you are ready to bake ( Frozen dough should be thawed)

Once the dough has firmed up, slice the dough on the long side in half.  Slice into 1/4 inches and place on ungreased pan and bake.  Bake

Experiment with your batch of shortbread dough. Add your favorite ingredients and cut or roll into your favorite shapes.


                               What do you do with your shortbread?