Last posting date of the year: Sunday, December 30th!
Classic Shortbread with Fleur de Sel
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, cool but not cold
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons superfine sugar, or 1-cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2-teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2-cup rice flour
2 egg yolks
1-tablespoon fleur de sel
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth. Add the sugar and salt and beat again just until incorporated, about 2 minutes. In two additions, using a wooden spoon or the absolute lowest speed on your mixer, stir in 3 1/2 cups of the all-purpose flour and all the rice flour, just until incorporated. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, and stir just until combined. If the dough looks too wet, fold in the remaining 2 tablespoons flour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until it is uniform. Do not overwork it. Divide the dough into eight equal balls, then shape them into disks, wrap them in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Dust a work surface with a sprinkling of flour. Working with one piece of chilled dough at a time while leaving the others in the refrigerator, roll a disk into a slightly less than 1/2-inch round. Cut the round into wedges like a pizza.
Prick the top of the shortbread with the tines of a fork and sprinkle a bit of fleur de sel over the surface. Transfer the cookies to a prepared baking sheet. Bake the shortbread for 17 to 22 minutes, or until they just begin to brown.
Set the pans on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before transferring the shortbreads to the rack to cool completely.
Shortbread will keep in an airtight container, at room temperature, for 5 days.
Excerpted from Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copyright © 2010 by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Excerpted by permission of Stewart, Tabori & Chang, an imprint of Abrams. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Sheri says
December 25, 2012 at 11:10 amAnyone on the fence about making this? Will it help if I tell you it’s like crack? :)
Merry Christmas everyone!
Yael Even says
December 25, 2012 at 9:18 pmLooking forward to making these. Not happy to hear it’s like crack- my waistline doesn’t need that!
Sheri says
December 25, 2012 at 9:42 pmHa – well, it could just be me. I adore shortbread. Can’t resist.
I’ve already made these, but I’m thinking about making another batch with a different kind of sugar. Rapadura, maybe.
Susan says
December 26, 2012 at 10:57 pmI’d never heard of Rapadura, but it sounds like it would deepen the flavor of the shortbread.
I’m with you – cannot resist great shortbread!
Sheri says
December 29, 2012 at 5:40 pmExactly, Susan! It’s less refined but I love that molasses-y flavor. You’ve probably seen it in the store – the most common brand is Rapunzel (labelled organic whole cane sugar).
SandraM says
December 26, 2012 at 5:05 amI am totally on the fence. What sugar did you use, Sheri? Super Fine or Confectioners?
Sheri says
December 26, 2012 at 9:35 amSuper fine – I always have C&H Baker’s Sugar on hand. I think regular sugar, pulsed in the food processor, would work fine.
Sheri says
December 26, 2012 at 9:36 amMine didn’t really brown – they came out very light. I had to judge done-ness by how they looked and felt.
Mark Neufang says
December 29, 2012 at 9:08 pmI think shortbread is better on the slightly underdone side… I took mine out when they just started to get golden on the ends.
Yael Even says
December 29, 2012 at 3:27 amFirst batch came out not so good, second a bit better and third was a winner! Not sure if they look like they’re supposed to , but we’ll see on Sunday!
Anne@FromMySweetHeart says
December 29, 2012 at 10:52 pmI made these tonight and I LOVED them! I hope I can get up early enough to photograph them in time. And though shortbread is among my favorite of all cookies…..these were particularly good! Looking forward to seeing everyone’s cookies! : )