Second Day of Christmas – Nanny Florida’s Shortbread Squares

Tags

12 Days of Christmas, 2nd day of Christmas, Christmas, cookie, food, foodie, recipe, second day of Christmas, shortbread, tradition, twelve days of Christmas

On the second day of Christmas, Young Wifey shared with me: Nanny’s Florida’s shortbread and chippers recipes.

Nanny Florida’s Shortbread Squares

Ingredients:
1 lb. butter, 1 1/2 c. sugar, 2 egg yolks, 5 c. unsifted flour

Directions:
Preheat oven 325°F. Cream butter until soft and smooth, gradually beat in sugar, until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks, Gradually add flour, working it in until throughly blended. Knead in the bowl for 1 minute. Divide and pat dough into four 9″x13″x1/2″ baking pans. The dough should be 1/4 inch thick. Cut each pan of dough into 24 squares. Prick with fork (or use your favorite attachment on your pastry wheel to create fancy patterns). Bake for 20-30 minutes. Do not let brown, they should be pale yellow. Cut into squares again while hot, cool.

XOXO,
Young Wifey

Advertisement

Dark Chocolate Shortbread

Tags

baked goods, biscuit, breakfast, brunch, chocolate, cocoa, cookie, dark chocolate, dessert, food, foodie, pie crust, postaday2011, recipe, shortbread, snack, sweet, tea, treat

The other day I made classic shortbread that is also really great dipped in dark chocolate. Last night, I modified my recipe and made chocolate shortbread, which would be really great dipped in white mint chocolate. These make a tasty after work snack or a brunch treat.

Dark Chocolate Shortbread

Chocolate Shortbread Ingredients:
2 c. flour, 1 1/4 c. butter softened, 1 c. sugar, 1 tsp. almond extract, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 1/2 c. dark cocoa baking powder, 1/2 tsp. fresh ground sea salt, extra sugar for sprinkling

Chocolate Shortbread Directions:
Preheat oven to 300°F. Cream together butter, sugar and extract. In separate bowl combine flour, cocoa and salt. Stir flour into butter mixture 1/4 cup at a time. Chill dough for about an hour (it’ll help the flavors richer and make the dough more manageable). Press dough into pie dish or roll out on floured surface and use cookie cutters. Use prongs on fork to make designs on shortbread. Sprinkle with sugar before baking. Depending on thickness, bake for about 20 minutes. It’s hard to tell when it’s done due to the dark color of the dough. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack. If you used a pie tin, cut shortbread into fantails before cooling. Serve at room temperature with hot tea or coffee.

I have a few of these tucked aside, to help me get through a busy weekend…
What does this weekend have in store for you?

Classic Shortbread

Tags

almond shortbread, bake sale, baked goods, chocolate, classic, cookies, dark chocolate, dessert, food, foodie, postaday2011, recipe, shortbread, snack, sweets

Unfortunately my sister didn’t have a copy of her shortbread recipe with her when she was on this side of the pond. Of course she used a real Scottish recipe. I played with a mixture of ingredients until I had a dough that I liked, similar to my sugar cookie, but much less sugar. No egg in the dough, so it’s safe to sample uncooked bits. This is what I came up with…

Shortbread & Tea

Shortbread Ingredients:
2 c. flour, 1 c. butter softened, 3/4 c. sugar, 1 tsp. almond extract, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp. fresh ground sea salt, finely chopped dark chocolate (optional for chocolate dipped)

Shortbread Directions:
Preheat oven to 300°F. Cream together butter, sugar and extract. In separate bowl combine flour and salt. Stir flour into butter mixture 1/4 cup at a time. Chill dough for about an hour (it’ll help the flavors richer and make the dough more manageable). Press dough into pie dish or roll out on floured surface and use cookie cutters. Use prongs on fork to make designs on shortbread. Depending on thickness, bake for about 30 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack. If you used a pie tin, cut shortbread into fantails before cooling. Serve at room temperature with hot tea.

For Chocolate Dipped Shortbread:
On the top of a double boiled, melt chocolate. Dip edges or bottoms of shortbread in chocolate and place on wax paper. Chill in fridge to harden chocolate. Remove shortbread from fridge and store in an airtight container.

*If you use salted butter, you can omit or cut back the sea salt.

*If you like your shortbread sweeter, add 1/8-1/4 c. more of sugar.
*As a gift or favor you can wrap a bunch of shortbread in a mug, with a box of tea bags.

Unfortunately my embosser in still packed in some unknown box, or I would have used it embellish my shortbread before baking. I used individual tart tins to make a smaller shortbread, which I cut in wedges to create fantails.

As the aroma of fresh-baked shortbread lingers through my home, I sit down for a moment to nibble a few shortbread fantails and sip on my earl grey tea. I just hope my sister approves my recipe.

What do you like to munch on with your tea?