Shortbread

By davidgoodman

Ingredients

• For ginger-flavored shortbread:
• 2 cups (4 Sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for pans
• 1 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 heaping tb candied ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
• For orange-flavored shortbread:
• 1 heaping tb Candied orange peel finely chopped
• 1 tsp Grand Mariner liqueur

Details

Servings 1

Preparation

Step 1

1. Heat oven to 275°. Butter three 8-by-2-inch round cake pans, and line bottoms with parchment.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. cream butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add flour, 1 cup at a time, beating on low speed until just combined. Add salt, and combine.

3. Divide dough into three equal parts, and transfer two of them to separate bowls. If desired, add ginger flavoring to one bowl, and add the orange flavoring to another. Mix in flavorings until combined.

4. Transfer each batch of dough to a prepared pan, leveling and smoothing tops. Using a dough scraper (right) or the back of a knife, lightly score batter into wedges. Using the times of a ford or a wooden skewer, create a decorative pattern on the surface.

5. Bake shortbread until pale golden, but not browned. 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, 10 minutes. Run a knife around inside pans to loosen shortbread and turn out. Remove parchment, and turn over. Using a serrated knife, follow the score marks to cut shortbread into neat wedges.