Scottish Shortbread An Award Winning Christmas Treat Recipes

SCOTTISH MILLIONAIRE SHORTBREAD: A FAVORITE HOLIDAY TREAT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 13×9-inch baking pan with foil. Set aside.
• To make the shortbread: Mix the melted and softened butter together with the flour, granulated sugar, and salt until it forms a dough. Press the dough into the prepared, foil-lined baking sheet. Prick the unbaked shortbread with the tines of a fork, about an inch apart. Bake the shortbread layer for 20 minutes or until it feels dry to the touch and is very lightly browned. Set aside to cool completely.
• To make the caramel filling: Into a medium-size saucepan add the sweetened condensed milk, brown sugar, and butter; bring to a boil, stirring constantly so that the sugar will dissolve. Reduce the heat to a simmer, stir continuously for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the caramel has thickened slightly. Pour over the shortbread; cool completely. I like to place it in the refrigerator to quicken the process.
• For the chocolate topping: Once the caramel is cool and set, melt the chocolate in a double broiler or bain-marie over barely simmering water. Once the chocolate becomes shiny, remove from the heat and stir until completely melted. Pour the chocolate over the cold caramel and leave to cool.
• Remove the foil and cut into squares or bars and dust with confectioners' sugar if desired.

SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add 3-3/4 cups flour; mix well. Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead for 5 minutes, adding enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Roll to 1/2-in. thickness. Cut into 3x1-in. strips. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Prick with fork. Bake until cookies are lightly browned, 20-25 minutes. Cool.

SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD III

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
• Cream butter and sugar with mixer. Add flour and mix with a wooden spoon. Use hands to thoroughly mix.
• Press into a jelly roll pan. Prick to bottom all over with a fork being sure the fork hits the bottom and the pricks are close together.
• Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 300 and continue to bake for 40 minutes more. Wait 2 minutes then cut into finger size bars. Cool thoroughly in pan.

SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD- AN AWARD-WINNING CHRISTMAS TREAT

Steps:

• By hand, cream together sugar and butter.
• Add flours gradually, blending by hand.
• Press into 7x11 inch pan, flute edges and prick all over with a fork.
• Bake in a 325 degree oven for 35-45 minutes, until very lightly browned.
• Cool on rack and break onto pieces to serve.

SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Set oven rack to middle position.
• Preheat oven to 275°F.
• Have two ungreased 8-inch cake pans ready.
• Food Processor Method.
• Cut the butter into 1-inch cubes, wrap it, and refrigerate.
• Process the sugars for 1 minute or so, until the sugar is very fine.
• Add the butter and pulse until the sugar disappears.
• Add the flour and pulse until there are a lot of moist, crumbly little pieces and no dry flour particles remain.
• Dump the mixture into a plastic bag and press it together.
• Remove the dough from the plastic bag and knead it lightly until it holds together.
• Electric Mixer or by Hand.
• Use superfine granulated sugar for the best texture and be sure to soften the butter.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugars.
• In a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugars until light and fluffy.
• With your fingers or with the electric mixer, mix in the flour until the mixture holds together.
• If using the mixer, add the flour in 2 parts.
• For Both Methods.
• Divide the dough into 2 equal parts.
• Pat each half into an ungreased 8-inch round cake pan.
• Use the tines of a fork to press 3/4-inch lines radiating like rays of sun all around the perimeter of the dough.
• Prick the rest of the dough all over with the tines of the fork.
• (this keeps the shortbread even and creates the traditional design).
• Bake for 60-70 minutes or until pale golden (do not brown).
• For even baking, rotate the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through the baking period.
• Cool in the pans, on a wire rack, for 10 minutes.
• Invert the shortbread onto flat cookie sheet and slide it onto a cutting board.
• While still warm, use a long sharp knife to cut each 8-inch round of shortbread into 8 pie-shaped wedges.
• Transfer the wedges to wire racks to cool completely.