Iced and Snowy Stars
On March 15, 2020 by Christy Larsen I love this shortbread recipe and use it shamelessly whenever I can. Every Christmas my mom would bring out special cookie cutters. The ones she used for shortbread. The mystery still remains why they were shaped like playing card suits and; how”spades” and “diamonds” scream Christmas I never thought to ask
perhaps I should have
She rolled the dough out thicker than usual, slightly underbaked them and half-dipped them in chocolate. They are perfect that way and are still my favorite way of eating them
They are also delightful rolled a bit thinner and baked a bit longer. When glazed with ivory tinted royal icing, and flavored with a bit of almond they are the best accompaniment to your morning cuppa.
Shortbread Cookies
1 cup butter–room temperature
3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups flour
Beat sugar and butter until completely mixed together, but not light and fluffy. Add vanilla and salt and mix until just incorporated. Slowly stir in flour and only mix until just incorporated. Divide dough in 2 portions, wrap in plastic and place in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. When ready to bake, roll out and bake on parchment paper. Top with sprinkles or leave plain and bake at 325 until just starting to brown on the bottom. Once cooled you can dip in tempered chocolate or glaze with royal icing (alton brown recipe here), flavored as you choose.
Just a simple tip: I glaze the cookies using a pastry bag and let them dry. I then dip a small paintbrush in a bit of Everclear or vodka (or you can use extract) and gently swipe it across the top. I then immediately sprinkle the sugar on top. the liquid will evaporate almost immediately–but it will allow your sugar to stick without sinking into the icing.
Brown-Butter Bacon Shortbread with Bourbon Maple Glaze
On April 1, 2011 by sixtyacrebakerAt a recent food swap I traded jam for browned butter shortbread. It was out of this world. Within minutes of finishing the very last crumb, I was conspiring to make my own. The gal with whom I swapped was kind enough to share the recipe
from Gourmet magazine.
insert long sigh and whimper mourning the loss of this fabulous magazine
While browning the butter, I was reminded a bit of the smell of bacon.
caveat
I have been known to smell bacon at a kosher deli; I’m slightly obsessed. Chocolate-covered bacon is where I stop the madness; don’t love it, don’t like it. Not bacon’s best move.
But here is what I do love: these crispy, nutty, salty, with throat-warming bourbon glaze, cookies.
Brown-Butter Bacon Shortbread with Bourbon-Maple Glaze
*this recipe only slightly resembles its inspiration. the addition of bacon, bacon fat, nuts, and glaze are all mine
shortbread
4 oz browned butter-cooled to solid in fridge
2 oz bacon grease–cooled to solid in fridge
1/2 tsp grey sea salt (kosher is fine)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup bacon–cooked crispy and finely chopped
1 1/3 cup+ 3 Tbs all purpose flour
1 cup toasted and chopped pecans
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the cooled butter, cooled bacon grease and brown sugar. Add the salt and vanilla and stir to mix. Mix in the bacon bits, then the flour. mix only to fully incorporate the flour, do not over mix. Remove the dough from mixer and form into a cylinder on plastic wrap. Roll the dough into the chopped nuts, cover and place in refrigerator. Let rest in fridge for an hour. When ready to bake, heat oven to 350f. Slice the roll into 1/4″ slices and place on lined cookie sheet, leaving about 1/2″ between each cookie. these will spread a bit. Allow to bake about 10-12 minutes or until they start to brown on the bottom. Remove from oven and let cool. Once cool, drizzle with glaze.
bourbon maple glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp maple syrup
up to 1 Tbs bourbon
Place powdered sugar in a bowl. Stir in the maple syrup. Add bourbon 1 tsp at a time until it reaches a nice runny consistency, that will barely hold its shape. Pour into a piping bag or use a spoon to decoratively drizzle over the cookies. Allow to sit until the glaze has firmed up.