Shortbread cookies- Martha Stewart

Great-Aunt Annie's Traditional Shortbread
http://www.marthastewart.com/355543/great-aunt-annies-traditional-shortbread?czone=food%2Fcookies-cnt%2Fspecialty-cookies&gallery=275319&slide=355543¢er=276956
This family recipe for Great-Aunt Annie's traditional shortbread comes from viewer-baker Anne Evans.


YIELD:Makes 12 wedges

INGREDIENTS

Nonstick cooking spray
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted
2 tablespoons coarse sanding sugar

DIRECTIONS


STEP 1
Spray a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

STEP 2
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar. Stir in vanilla. With mixer on low speed, slowly add flour. Mix until well combined.

STEP 3
Evenly spread cookie dough into prepared tart pan. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

STEP 4
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sprinkle shortbread with sanding sugar. Using a 2-inch round fluted cookie cutter, make a shallow cut in the center of the dough. Using the tines of a fork, score dough from the edge of the circle in the center toward the edge of the pan into 12 equal wedges.

STEP 5
Transfer tart pan to oven and bake until light brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the shortbread comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Immediately re-score circle and wedges with cookie cutter and the tines of a fork. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool 1 hour. Remove shortbread from tart pan and let cool completely. Cut into wedges with a serrated knife along the scored lines.

SOURCE
The Martha Stewart Show, May Spring 2007
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Shortbread Cookies
http://www.marthastewart.com/332945/shortbread-cookies


YIELD:Makes 12 to 14 large cookies
COOK'S NOTE:
Cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 month. (my note: like they're going to last that long)

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


DIRECTIONS

STEP 1
Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Wisk together flour and salt. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add sugar, and continue to beat until pale and fluffy, occasionally scraping down the sides of bowl, about 2 minutes more. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture, and mix on low speed, scraping sides if necessary, until flour is just incorporated and dough sticks together when squeezed with fingers.

STEP 2
Turn out dough, forming into 2 disks; wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

STEP 3
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Roll out 1 disk to a 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out shapes using desired cookie cutter, and transfer to prepared baking sheets. Reroll scraps. Repeat with remaining disk. Indent cookies with desired stamps. Refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes. Bake until firm and golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

SOURCE
Martha Stewart Living, December 2009

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Shortbread Wedges
http://www.pbs.org/food/recipes/shortbread-wedges/


Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

Directions
Sift together flour, sugar, and salt into a bowl.

Place butter into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl.

Gradually add flour mixture; beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees, with rack in upper third.

Using plastic wrap, press dough into a buttered 10-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. With plastic on dough, refrigerate 20 minutes.

Remove plastic wrap. Cut dough into eight wedges with a paring knife. Using a wooden skewer, prick all over at 1/4-inch intervals.

Bake until golden brown and firm in center, about 1 hour. Transfer pan to a wire rack. Recut shortbread into wedges; let cool completely in pan. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 weeks.

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Shortbread Crust
http://www.marthastewart.com/1036320/press-shortbread-tart-shell
Yield 10" tart shell

INGREDIENTS

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
* mine (add vanilla for cookie crust)

DIRECTIONS

STEP 1
Stir together butter and sugar in a medium bowl.
Stir in yolks.
Add flour and salt, and stir until mixture is dry and crumbly.
Press dough into bottom and up sides of a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
Freeze until firm, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile preheat oven to 375 degrees.

STEP 2
Bake, rotating halfway through, just until crust turns golden around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool in tart pan on a wire rack, 1 hour.


AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaHHHHHHHHHHHHk
http://www.pbs.org/food/features/martha-bakes-shortbread-episode/