Shortbread is a crumbly, sweet biscuit made with butter, sugar, and flour. It is traditionally made in Scotland and often associated with winter holidays in the United States. Shortbread can be made in different shapes, decorated with stamps or forks, and even dipped in chocolate. It has a buttery taste and is often eaten with tea or coffee. Bakers can follow the traditional recipe of one part sugar, two parts butter, and three parts flour and bake at a low temperature.
Shortbread is a type of crumbly, sweet biscuit that is commonly made in Scotland, a nation with which the dessert has become associated. These cookies are produced all over the world and often appear as a winter holiday in the United States. The thick, sweet, and very rich shortcrust pastry is adored by many consumers and bakers for its excellent, fresh flavor and ease of manufacture. It has been made since the 1700s, when butter as a cooking fat began to come into common use, especially in milk-heavy areas such as Scotland.
The name likely comes from the large amount of shortening used in cookies. Traditionally, shortbread biscuits are made with three ingredients: butter, sugar and flour. Cookies are usually made with one part sugar, two parts butter, and three parts white flour. Thanks to health-conscious consumers in the 20th century, you can find shortbread made with a blend of whole wheat and white flour, as well as organic and low-fat versions.
After the shortbread dough is made, it can be cooked into different shapes. Many home cooks simply spin rounds, resulting in round cookies that look quite attractive arranged on platters during the holiday season. Many commercial companies make large rounds that are cut into segments as soon as they’re done cooking, resulting in an easily packaged cookie. Sometimes, shortbread biscuits are also made in large rectangular molds that are cut into fingers.
Shortbread dough holds its shapes very well and, as a result, is often shaped or decorated with stamps, forks, or other tools. The resulting biscuit has an attractive pattern on the top surface, with some companies having very distinctive crests or designs for their products. Some shortbread cookies are even dipped in chocolate for an even richer touch.
After baking, shortbread is a crumbly, pale golden biscuit. When eaten plain, it can be very messy and is often steeped in tea or coffee to soften before consumption. The biscuits have a very buttery taste, due to the large amount used to prepare them. Because the shortbread cookie is so firm, it can be easily packaged and often distributed in jars or wrapped in decorative papers, especially at Christmas. Besides Scotland, Denmark is another major producer of these biscuits.
To make shortbread cookies, bakers can follow the traditional recipe of one part sugar to two parts butter and three parts flour and bake the cookies at a low setting on ungreased foil until they are a light golden color. Medium-low cooking temperatures are important to prevent the cookies from burning. If baking in large rounds, cooks should be sure to cut them immediately after they’re removed from the oven, before they become too brittle.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
