Frans Easy Shortbread Bars Recipes

FRAN'S EASY SHORTBREAD BARS

Steps:

• Cream icing sugar and butter until fluffy.
• Combine flours and add to the butter mixture, in small portions.
• Turn batter out into a sided 15 x 9 cookie pan or jelly roll pan. Press to the sides and smooth with the back of a spoon.
• Score into bars with a sharp knife and prick the surface with a fork. Sprinkle with the 2 tbsp of sugar.
• Bake 10 minutes at 350°, then lower the oven to 300°. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes.
• Remove from oven and immediately cut along the scored lines.
• Cool, then store in an airtight container.

SUPER-EASY SHORTBREAD (3 INGREDIENTS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°.
• Cream butter and sugar together.
• Add flour and mix till texture is like clay.
• Press dough into ungreased 9 x 13 inch pan, prick all over with a fork, and sprinkle with sugar (tilt pan to cover the top evenly, then shake excess sugar back into the sugar canister).
• Bake for about 40-45 minutes (till very lightly browned--just golden around the edges).
• Let stand for 5 minutes, then cut into 24 squares while warm.
• Leave in pan to cool thoroughly. (Shortbread will not be crisp until cool.).
• Less easy method: Chill dough. Roll into 1-inch balls, then press balls to about 1/4-inch thickness on ungreased cookie sheets with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar (sometimes you can find a glass with a pretty design on the bottom, like a star). Bake at 300° for about 20-25 minutes (until edges are very lightly browned).
• Least easy method: Chill dough. Roll out to about 1/4-inch thickness, sprinkle with sugar, then cut with cookie cutters. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets at 300° for about 20-25 minutes (until edges are very lightly browned).
• Variation: Add 2 tablespoons dried lavender to the creamed butter and sugar before adding flour. It may sound strange, but the flavor is subtle and elegant. Food-grade lavender is usually available in herb bins at health food stores, and I recently found it at a great price from Atlantic Spice online (their Lavender #1).
• Variation: After cutting shortbread into squares (it will still be warm), scatter 1 cup of chocolate chips over the top, let the chocolate soften completely, then spread as a thin layer and let cool completely before removing from pan. (No need to sprinkle shortbread with sugar before baking if you plan to do this.).
• Variation: Stir 1 cup chocolate chips or butterscotch chips into the dough before pressing into pan. You can also try melting the butterscotch over the top, as above. In England, you'll find "caramel shortbread," which has a layer of caramel and a layer of chocolate on top of the shortbread. It's wonderful (of course!). I've tried various ways of doing this and various kinds of caramel, but it's been a while and I don't remember what works best. It can be tricky not to make a mess!

RASPBERRY SHORTBREAD BARS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt.
• In another medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar at low speed until combined.
• Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla.
• Add dry ingredients and beat at low speed until a soft dough forms.
• Halve the dough and form into logs.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Butter an 8 1/2" x 11" glass baking dish.
• Working over the baking dish, coarsely shred 1 log of dough on the large holes of a box grater, evenly distributing the dough into the baking dish. Do NOT pat or press the dough.
• Using a spoon, dollop the preserves over the dough and gently spread it in an even layer.
• Grate the second log of dough on top.
• Using a rubber spatula, tuck in any shreds of dough sticking to the side of the baking dish to prevent them from burning.
• Bake the shortbread on the bottom rack of the oven for about 35 minutes, covering it with foil halfway through baking.
• The shortbread is done when the pastry is golden all over.
• Let cool completely, then cut into 24 bars.
• Dust the top with powdered sugar and serve.

BROWN SUGAR SHORTBREAD BARS

Steps:

• 1. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, cornstarch, and salt in a small bowl; stir with a whisk.
• 2. Place brown sugar and butter in a medium bowl; mix with hands until combined. Add flour mixture, and mix with hands until combined. Sprinkle dough with 1 1/2 teaspoons ice water; knead dough lightly 4 times or just until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes.
• 3. Preheat oven to 325°.
• 4. Place dough on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; press dough into an 8 x 5-inch rectangle about 3/8-inch thick. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork. Bake at 325° for 25 minutes or just until set and edges are golden. Cut shortbread into 24 pieces. Cool completely.

KITTENCAL'S SCOTCH SHORTBREAD BARS

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees F.
• Prepare an ungreased 11 x 7-inch baking pan.
• In a mixing bowl cream butter and sugar well.
• Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture.
• Spread into a prepared ungreased baking pan.
• Prick well several times with a fork.
• Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until the edges just begin to brown.
• Remove from oven the dust with more icing sugar.
• Cool on wire rack.
• Cut into bars.