Aye, If It’s Nae’ Scottish..

…it’s rubbish.  Or so one hears round about the Firth of Forth.  Cultural chauvinism aside, the Scots definitely have a point when it comes to cookies, particularly shortbread.  There’s something about the simplicity of ingredients – at base just butter, sugar and flour – that speaks of Scottish frugality.  Yet the butter also imparts a richness as satisfying as a thick tartan protecting from the Highlands chill.

Not only is shortbread beloved in Scotland,  but it also is popular wherever Scots, including some of the author’s distant ancestors, settled around the globe.  Presented today for your approval are a trio of flavors featured in the recipe booklet, Shortbread Recipe Book, included  with the Brown Bag Cookie Art shortbread molds pictured atop this week’s photograph:

Today brings three varieties.  Pictured from left to right are Classic Shortbread (laced with lavender buds in a fortunate whim), Chocolate Shortbread and Orange Spice Shortbread.   Each has something to recommend it.

The “basic” recipe creates a cookie that’s softly buttery.  Although lavender buds aren’t included in the original instructions, they inspire thoughts of the flowering fields that await us on winter’s other side.

Chocolate requires no additional description because it’s, well, chocolate.  Especially silky when paired with all that butter, and when a good quality cocoa (Barry Callebaut in this case) is used.  Finally, is the Orange Spice offering.  The zest bursts with brightness, as does the splash of juice that was an ad hoc supplement.  Then come the ground ginger and cinnamon, bringing their own tingle.

These variations build upon the Classic variety that has been Scotland’s culinary calling card for centuries.  The country hummed with inventive spirit, after all, and the “bonus” versions continue that innovation.  Adam Smith’s entrepreneurial impulse carried to the kitchen.

*****

Classic Shortbread

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup flour

Cream the butter until it’s light.  Mix in the powdered sugar until combined, then the vanilla.  (*1)  Fold in the flour until it’s just incorporated.  (*2)  Knead on an unfloured surface until the dough is nice and smooth, about two minutes.

Preheat an oven to 325°.  Spray a baking pan lightly with cooking oil.  Press the dough into the pan, then puncture the dough several times with a fork, at random spots.  This process is called “docking.”  Bake for 30 minutes.

Place the shortbread pan on a rack to cool.  After ten minutes, run a knife around the edge of the shortbread.  Invert gently onto a cutting board.  Use a sharp knife to cut the shortbread into individual pieces.

NOTES:

1 – At this point I added a tablespoon of lavender buds.  This part wasn’t in the recipe, so skip it if you prefer.

2 – No need to work too insistently on combining the flour, as the subsequent kneading process will incorporate it.  Might as well spare yourself some work.  By the way, this “note” applies to the other two flavors as well.

*****

Chocolate Shortbread

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup flour

Cream the butter until it’s light.  Mix in the powdered sugar until combined, then the cocoa and the vanilla.  Fold in the flour until it’s just incorporated.  (*3)  Knead on an unfloured surface until the dough is nice and smooth, about two minutes.

Preheat an oven to 325°.  Spray a baking pan lightly with cooking oil.  Press the dough into the pan, then puncture the dough several times with a fork, at random spots.  This process is called “docking.”  Bake for 30 minutes.

Place the shortbread pan on a rack to cool.  After ten minutes, run a knife around the edge of the shortbread.  Invert gently onto a cutting board.  Use a sharp knife to cut the shortbread into individual pieces.

NOTES:

3 – No need to work too insistently on combining the flour, as the subsequent kneading process will incorporate it.  Might as well spare yourself some work.  By the way, this “note” applies to the other two flavors as well.  Sound familiar?

*****

Orange Spice Shortbread

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons grated orange peel
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinammon
• 1 cup flour

Cream the butter until it’s light.  Mix in the powdered sugar until combined, then the orange peel and spices.  (*4)  Fold in the flour until it’s just incorporated.  (*5)  Knead on an unfloured surface until the dough is nice and smooth, about two minutes.

Preheat an oven to 325°.  Spray a baking pan lightly with cooking oil.  Press the dough into the pan, then puncture the dough several times with a fork, at random spots.  This process is called “docking.”  Bake for 30 minutes.

Place the shortbread pan on a rack to cool.  After ten minutes, run a knife around the edge of the shortbread.  Invert gently onto a cutting board.  Use a sharp knife to cut the shortbread into individual pieces.

NOTES:

4 – This would be a good point to pour in a couple tablespoons of orange juice too.  The default recipe doesn’t call for it,  yet the juice enhances the cookies’ citrusy character and imparts the light orange tone you see above.

5 – No need to work too insistently on combining the flour, as the subsequent kneading process will incorporate it.  Might as well spare yourself some work.  By the way, this “note” applies to the other two flavors as well.  It’s almost as if I copied and pasted this “Note” after typing it in the original recipe.  Maybe.  Or maybe it’s just a shortbread miracle.