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Shortbread again

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notbob

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Nov 20, 2009, 10:12:56 PM11/20/09
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Using same basic recipe.

2 C flour
8 oz sweet butter (2 sticks/cubes)
1/2 C sugar
1 t vanilla extract
1/4 t salt

This time I used granulated sugar and ran it through the blender.
Looks good. Finer than baking or bar sugar, but just a tad bit more
coarse than powdered sugar. Seems like a good trade off ...or is it?

This practice of blending granulated sugar seems pretty straight
forward, but I wonder. Basically, I'm essentially doing the culinary
equivalent of using a fairly sharp blade to blend loose sandpaper
grit. IOW, this is gonna make popcicle sticks of my blender blade
tuit de suite! Not a cost effective use of a blender. There must be
a better way.

nb

Wayne Boatwright

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Nov 20, 2009, 11:39:23 PM11/20/09
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On Fri 20 Nov 2009 08:12:56p, notbob told us...

I've been doing that in the food processor for years and the blades show no
dulling.

--

~~ If there's a nit to pick, some nitwit will pick it. ~~

~~ A mind is a terrible thing to lose. ~~

**********************************************************

Wayne Boatwright

Omelet

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Nov 20, 2009, 11:56:50 PM11/20/09
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In article <slrnhgemln...@myvai2.notbob.com>,
notbob <not...@nothome.com> wrote:

Your blender blades are harder than sugar. It's NOT going to hurt them!
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

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Piet de Arcilla

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Nov 21, 2009, 12:58:58 AM11/21/09
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The problem I've had making shortbread is evenly distributing the
salt.

Kajikit

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Nov 21, 2009, 8:23:00 AM11/21/09
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Mix it into the melted butter!
--

My website - http://www.kajikitscorner.com
My cooking blog - http://kajikit.wordpress.com
My crafty blog - http://kajikit.blogspot.com

Kajikit

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Nov 21, 2009, 8:24:23 AM11/21/09
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Mama's shortbread recipe uses flour, cornstarch, and castor-sugar. The
stuff labelled 'extra-fine' works too.

notbob

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Nov 21, 2009, 11:26:00 AM11/21/09
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On 2009-11-21, notbob <not...@nothome.com> wrote:
> Using same basic recipe.
>
> 2 C flour (340g)
> 8 oz sweet butter (113g)
> 1/2 C sugar
> 1 t vanilla extract
> 1/4 t salt
>
> This time I used granulated sugar and ran it through the blender.

OMG! These are to die for. As good as Royal Edinburgh shortbread
cookies. Only one problem: After 2 martinis (dbls?) I can only guess
at what I baked! ;)

I think what I did was use 1/3 too little flour and dbl the sugar. I
got mixed up between the volume measurements and smclaren's 3:2:1
weight ratio recipe and had big fun with my kitchen scale which I
finally dug out from moving. My guess is I actually used 113g sugar,
113g butter, and 226g flour, which makes it 2:1:1. Whatever, they are
killer, if brutally sweet.

Not sure where I'll go from here. Next time, I think I'll try
increasing flour while decreasing sugar, perhaps 282g flour and 85g
sugar and slowly creep towards smclaren's 3:2:1 recipe. I know I'll
keep the 1-1/4 tsp of premium vanilla extract. I also blendered up
about 2 C up granulated sugar, so have plenty left. Unfortunately, I
now see another reason for the addition of corn starch. My pwdr sugar
cakes at a mere glance.

Hey, this baking thing is fun! ;)

nb

Omelet

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Nov 21, 2009, 11:29:36 AM11/21/09
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In article <slrnhgg54o...@myvai2.notbob.com>,
notbob <not...@nothome.com> wrote:

Glad it's working for you. :-)
Good shortbreads are the gods.
Now you've got me jonesing for some! <sigh>

Stu

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Nov 21, 2009, 12:11:16 PM11/21/09
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On Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:26:00 GMT, notbob <not...@nothome.com> wrote:

-->On 2009-11-21, notbob <not...@nothome.com> wrote:
-->> Using same basic recipe.
-->>
-->> 2 C flour (340g)
-->> 8 oz sweet butter (113g)
-->> 1/2 C sugar
-->> 1 t vanilla extract
-->> 1/4 t salt
-->>
-->> This time I used granulated sugar and ran it through the blender.
-->
-->OMG! These are to die for. As good as Royal Edinburgh shortbread
-->cookies. Only one problem: After 2 martinis (dbls?) I can only guess
-->at what I baked! ;)
-->
-->I think what I did was use 1/3 too little flour and dbl the sugar. I
-->got mixed up between the volume measurements and smclaren's 3:2:1
-->weight ratio recipe and had big fun with my kitchen scale which I
-->finally dug out from moving. My guess is I actually used 113g sugar,
-->113g butter, and 226g flour, which makes it 2:1:1. Whatever, they are
-->killer, if brutally sweet.
-->
-->Not sure where I'll go from here. Next time, I think I'll try
-->increasing flour while decreasing sugar, perhaps 282g flour and 85g
-->sugar and slowly creep towards smclaren's 3:2:1 recipe. I know I'll
-->keep the 1-1/4 tsp of premium vanilla extract. I also blendered up
-->about 2 C up granulated sugar, so have plenty left. Unfortunately, I
-->now see another reason for the addition of corn starch. My pwdr sugar
-->cakes at a mere glance.
-->
-->Hey, this baking thing is fun! ;)
-->
-->nb

Try these Bob, they're amazingly rich.


TERRY'S Shortbread Cookies

1-cup butter, softened
1/2-cup sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. grated orange peel
1 TERRY'S Chocolate Orange, separated into 20 segments, cut in half

PREHEAT oven to 350�. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer
on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour, beating until well
blended after each addition.

ROLL dough into 20 balls, each about 1-1/2 inches in diameter; flatten with
palm of hand. Top each with 1 chocolate piece; wrap dough around chocolate to
completely enclose chocolate. Place, 2 inches apart, on ungreased baking
sheets. Flatten slightly.

BAKE 20 min. Remove from oven. Immediately place 1 of the remaining chocolate
pieces on each cookie. Transfer cookies to wire racks; cool 10 min. before
serving.

Prep: 20 min
Ready In: 40 min
Serves: 20

Arri London

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Nov 21, 2009, 9:23:04 PM11/21/09
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Won't harm the blender blades. But do it the old-fashioned way with a
wire pastry blender or your impeccably clean hands. Has worked for a
very long time. Just don't overmix.

Might I suggest leaving out the vanilla and also substituting a small
part (1/4 c or so) of the wheat flour with rice flour? Closer to
traditional shortbread.

Arri London

unread,
Nov 21, 2009, 9:27:40 PM11/21/09
to

Try this recipe (of my own invention):

Chile Shortbread.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 c AP/plain flour
2/3 c granulated sugar
1/4 c rice flour or cornstarch/cornflour
1/2 tsp powdered red chile (hot or not as liked)
1/2 tsp salt
6 oz (1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, chilled)
2 1/2 tsp freshly-grated lemon rind (yellow part only)
few drops of fresh lemon juice

Preparation:

Heat oven to 300F.

Mix the flours, sugar, chile powder and salt. Chop the butter into dice
and cut into the dry ingredients. The mixture should look like crumbs.
Fold in the lemon rind and a few drops of lemon juice. Knead the dough
very lightly just until it holds together. Overkneading toughens
shortbread. Divide the dough into two parts. Pat each half into 8-inch
diameter round cake pans. Use a fork to poke tiny holes all over the
surface of the dough. Score each shortbread into 12 wedges, but don't
cut down all the way.

Bake at 300 F for about 40 minutes. The shortbread should be baked
through and light brown. Cool the shortbread in the pans for 5 minutes
on a rack. Cut through the scored lines and allow it to finish cooling.
Transfer carefully to a platter for serving or to an airtight box for
storage.

Omelet

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Nov 21, 2009, 10:47:34 PM11/21/09
to
In article <4i7gg51nuhhaiiut7...@4ax.com>,
Stu <rec...@foodforu.ca> wrote:

> Try these Bob, they're amazingly rich.
>
>
> TERRY'S Shortbread Cookies
>
> 1-cup butter, softened
> 1/2-cup sugar
> 2 cups flour
> 1/2 tsp. grated orange peel
> 1 TERRY'S Chocolate Orange, separated into 20 segments, cut in half
>
> PREHEAT oven to 350�. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer
> on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour, beating until
> well
> blended after each addition.
>
> ROLL dough into 20 balls, each about 1-1/2 inches in diameter; flatten with
> palm of hand. Top each with 1 chocolate piece; wrap dough around chocolate to
> completely enclose chocolate. Place, 2 inches apart, on ungreased baking
> sheets. Flatten slightly.
>
> BAKE 20 min. Remove from oven. Immediately place 1 of the remaining chocolate
> pieces on each cookie. Transfer cookies to wire racks; cool 10 min. before
> serving.
>
> Prep: 20 min
> Ready In: 40 min
> Serves: 20

Mm, I'll bet this would work with Dove Dark chocolate miniatures...

Stu

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Nov 22, 2009, 12:05:31 AM11/22/09
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On Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:47:34 -0600, Omelet <ompo...@gmail.com> wrote:

-->In article <4i7gg51nuhhaiiut7...@4ax.com>,
--> Stu <rec...@foodforu.ca> wrote:
-->
-->> Try these Bob, they're amazingly rich.
-->>
-->>
-->> TERRY'S Shortbread Cookies
-->>
-->> 1-cup butter, softened
-->> 1/2-cup sugar
-->> 2 cups flour
-->> 1/2 tsp. grated orange peel
-->> 1 TERRY'S Chocolate Orange, separated into 20 segments, cut in half
-->>
-->> PREHEAT oven to 350�. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric
mixer
-->> on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour, beating until
-->> well
-->> blended after each addition.
-->>
-->> ROLL dough into 20 balls, each about 1-1/2 inches in diameter; flatten
with
-->> palm of hand. Top each with 1 chocolate piece; wrap dough around chocolate
to
-->> completely enclose chocolate. Place, 2 inches apart, on ungreased baking
-->> sheets. Flatten slightly.
-->>
-->> BAKE 20 min. Remove from oven. Immediately place 1 of the remaining
chocolate
-->> pieces on each cookie. Transfer cookies to wire racks; cool 10 min. before
-->> serving.
-->>
-->> Prep: 20 min
-->> Ready In: 40 min
-->> Serves: 20
-->
-->Mm, I'll bet this would work with Dove Dark chocolate miniatures...

It certainly would ;-)

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