Sunday, August 16, 2020

Sunday Recipe: Delicious Shortbread

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: I know for many of you, the best part of my week is getting a new Sunday recipe from our resident caterer/organizing expert/world traveler Celia Wakefield. Today, it's not dinner, but dessert - homemade shortbread. And friends, I have had this shortbread and it is to make the angels weep. I'll let Celia tell you all about it.




Good morning to my dear Jungle Red authors and readers. It's Julia's week and I love her generosity sharing her space with me. SO many lovely JRW books are available right now. This community has introduced me to some funny, scary, sexy, delicious stories. What to read first? Maybe this is the best of times? Still what could be better than a delicious cooking tale? Pour yourself a cup of whatever cheers and here's my story of how I became a 'successful' baker during COVID-19.  Those of us with Scots blood know that our national instinct is to pinch pennies till they squeal. But how does this skill fit with learning to bake shortbread? Well if you're sitting comfortably, I'll begin.

I don't consider myself a baker, not in the true sense of the word. I am impatient, and not always as careful with reading and following instructions as I might. Setting up as a caterer meant that baking would be as important a skill as offering food for sale. One must retool one's attitude as well as ones skills. 

So I taught myself how to successfully make pastry. Short crust, suet pastry (an English speciality), and queen of them all, puff pastry. Yes, I mastered them by following recipes from Julia Child, Rosemary Spry, and other cookery leaders in the '60's and '70's. Julia Child has the best, most simple puff pastry method ever. I mastered the techniques turning out pies sweet and savory, rolls and cookies which were very popular served with a lemon or chocolate mousse. A second big gift of gratitude goes to Julia Child for her chocolate mousse cake from "Julia Child andCompany"*, her television show. I never saw the TV shows but the two books are cooking goldmines, and I own two copies of each.

 Now, many years later, retired from catering with cooking restricted to family and friends, I very seldom make those dishes. However the pandemic has given me two gifts; time and baking supply shortages. These may not sound like gifts but it's straw to gold, or retooling my focus to delicious effect.

As the news from abroad on COVID-19 got worse in early February, it made sense to stock up on flour and sugar among other staples. Then I could, with help of Mark Bittman or Jacques Pepin, bake a loaf if push came to shove. My main fun was reading the recipes in the New York Times and watching Jacque Pepin's videos. Imagine my delight when I came across a simple version of shortbread from Melissa Clark. Store bought shortbread is pricey, we weren't going to the supermarket, and it's Victor's fav, so I was hoping this version might be the one. I had researched shortbread recipes, baked, failed more times than I had good outcomes, but here was the gold standard recipe. This shortbread technique was apparently created by a NYC baker. However, Nate Chasse of Sweet and Savory Bakery here in Maine, who trained at the CIA, confirmed that resting the dough overnight is the key. I have added two simple Hacks that work.

The actual recipe is simple:
Line an 8"x9" baking pan with parchment paper. I do this by measuring the base of the pan and cutting a rectangle which is two inches wider than the measurement on each side.

Snip each corner to fit, then place the paper back on your counter.

Melt (1/2#) or 2 sticks of butter and cool.

Into a bowl, measure:
2C flour, 

1/4C corn starch or rice flour,

1/4C sugar,

1/2tsp. salt


Mix dry ingredients together briefly. (I use a hand held mixer on low). 

Pour in the butter, and combine all quickly. 

HACK 1.
Place the ball of dough on the parchment paper, then both lightly but swiftly roll and pat the dough to fit the outline of the pan. 

Carefully lift the paper and dough into the pan.
With wet fingers work dough into the corners and check for evenness.

HACK 2.
Place in a plastic bag or cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator over night or for at least two - four hours.

When ready to bake heat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Remove pan from plastic wrap or bag
Bake for twenty minutes reverse pan and bake for another 15-25 minutes till very pale gold. Remove from the oven, allow to rest for a couple of minutes, then carefully lift out the paper onto a baking rack to cool, and after five minutes or so cut into squares or fingers. Time to ENJOY!

The last time I made shortbread I doubled the recipe, put half into the baking pan and rolled out the other half on parchment but placed it on a cookie sheet. No squared corners but it baked just as well.

I found that parchment paper washes well. I use my sheet four to six times before discarding. Lay on the counter next to your sink, use a soapy sponge to clean off crumbs, then rinse soap off and lay out to dry.

*pub: Alfred A. Kopf

JULIA: There you have it, dear readers! Has staying at home forced you to spin straw to gold by sharpening one skill or another?

75 comments:

  1. This sounds so good, Celia . . . I can’t wait to try it. I’ve done my share of baking since the pandemic kept us home [the chocolate peanut butter brownies were a big hit] but I’ve not tried shortbread before. Thanks for sharing your recipe with us.

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    1. Thank you Joan, I love brownies but my body not so much so they are baked only when the grand boys are in residence. In fact back in the annals os family history, Aidan, g'boy #1, asked for a brownie birthday cake for his eleventh or twelfth birthday. I followed a recipe and presentation idea from Nigella Lawson. Brownies were piled up to resemble a castle or pyramid, then decorated with candles and messages. So successful that he wanted it again for his seventeenth birthday too!

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    2. That sounds like an awesome cake, Celia! [Anything for the grandbabies . . . .]

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  2. Thank you, Celia. I make a version of that at Christmas, but never with melted butter. Am off to save your recipe and give it a try now that the weather has cooled a bit, making baking possible.

    I mentioned here before that everybody else stole my sourdough mojo during the lockdown. I used to always make successful, nicely risen, chewy sourdough bread. Once I started making it this spring, I baked brick after brick. I finally gave up!

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    1. You are very welcome Edith, and I love your cat posts, just adorable. I think the melted butter is a real trick when married with the long cold rest. Shortbread doesn't like rough handling or much handling either.
      As for your sourdough, I am sure you haven't lost it. Perhaps just mislaid it. Do you need a new mother? I bet that would fix it. With my kill bake reputation I have stayed away from sourdough. I say go for it.

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  3. Oh, this sounds wonderful. I'm in baking mode now that it has cooled off a bit in my part of Maine and this will definitely be on my list for next weekend. Now, off to find that puff pastry recipe too. Been looking for a good, easy, one.

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    1. Kati, I wish I knew whereabouts in Maine you are. Forgive me, just nosy! The puff pastry recipe Secret is using a large mixer and the butter temperature. Good luck.

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  4. Shortbread is my go-to cookie (Lorna Doone!) but I’ve never made them .... thanks for the recipe Celia! Already thinking of variations... add ground almonds or hazelnuts? A glaze?

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    1. Dipped in melted dark chocolate?

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    2. You're most welcome Hallie, almond flour would work instead of the rice flour I think. I haven't played around with it as Victor loves it as it is. But I am planning some tweaks.

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    3. Love Lorna Doones! Because it’s the pandemic, and nothing counts, we even bought some the other day!

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    4. A little joy in ones life, even if only cookies is fine right now. Victor and I went blueberry picking, then went for milkshakes, todays joy.

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  5. Thank you, Celia! My husband always wants cookies around, but I don't care for most storebought ones. Your instructions are crystal clear, as usual.

    I was organizing some recipes on scraps of paper the other day, and found one from Catriona McPherson for her version of shortbread. It only has three ingredients, though: Flour, butter, and sugar. Wonder where I organized it to?

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    1. This is a Taste of Home 3 ingredients /not Catriona but looks tasty https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/scottish-shortbread/

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    2. You're very welcome Karen. Staying away from store bought cookies keeps us off their preservatives too. I'm sure Scottish shortbread is only three ingredients, but their weather is cool nearly all the year which may well help with the mixing.

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    3. That looks close, Coralee.

      I found Catriona's recipe. It doesn't mention chilling the dough, but I suspect that is a given.

      9 oz flour
      6 oz cold butter
      3 oz sugar

      Mix flour and sugar, then rub in fat to "bread crumbs". Knead into a ball; divide in two. Roll into 8" rounds. (This is probably where I would refrigerate the dough.)

      Cut radial slices. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes, or until golden. Dust with more sugar.

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  6. Being mostly at home hasn't given rise to any new particular skills, in the kitchen or other wise. It's been mostly staying on top of the day to day stuff I normally have to do that has kept me occupied.

    I think I've actually managed to cook even less than I was doing before.

    About the only thing I've been able to increase was the ability to write articles in my Cassette Chronicles series on a weekly basis for nearly 7 months straight.

    I know, I'm quite the cooking blog post entry disappointment. :D

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    1. Jay: I would say that a weekly column over 7 months is hugely impressive output. Well done! Do you have more time on your hands these days what with lockdown rules?

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    2. Jay, never a disappointment. Anything you've managed to do consistently is great. I managed to read a lot in between baking Victor shortbread, haha. Oh, I always read a lot, I guess it doesn't count. My spidey skill is finding and buying some great food without going to a restaurant etc.

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    3. Amanda, I do tend to have more time since I'm mostly home after I get out of work. Sometimes I listen to the albums at work and write the pieces when I get home from my notes. Other times I listen at home and then write it up afterwards.

      I've already done next week's article which means I'll have done 32 articles in 34 weeks. And that's just that particular series. I've done a few CD reviews for another site and book reviews as well. I keep turning out the articles because I like to do them and it does keep me occupied when I don't feel like watching something on TV or reading a book.

      Celia, I only meant disappointment because I almost never have anything of substance to contribute to the cooking blog entries other than "who's making me some of that stuff?" LOL

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    4. I understand Jay, and I would add, first that is an awesome volume of work for right now, plus here you are back, commenting, being an active part of this community. That's important.

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  7. I make my mother's shortbread recipe at Christmas, but I don't bake it at any other time of the year. The thing about baking is that then it's there on the counter for eating and, oh my goodness, I do love a good home-baked sweet. With only two of us in the house, whatever's in the pan ends up on our hips. Moderation at both the making and the eating end are required!

    As for straw to gold, I'm not sure this counts, but I have delved deeply into the back corners of the kitchen cabinets and come up with a couple of items that helped make yummy suppers -- the first was a packet of butter chicken spice paste I had forgotten about, which I used with chicken for a really flavourful dinner; the second was a jar of *hugely* out of date roasted red peppers. How bad could it be, said I? Well sealed. Smelled just fine. And, when put into a chicken sort-of-stew, added a wonderful flavour and texture.

    The lesson is that, often, those best-before dates are more about marketing than about fact, I think.

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    1. Amanda, you are so right, off the counter, on my hips, butt, midriff and other areas, along with it is probably making my hair grow too. I think you did find gold. Butter chicken, so delicious, and those red peppers. My spider skill here is the sniff test, not the date. Use by date is legalese for don't sue us.

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    2. Bingo! Celia, you're right: It's legalese. And the sniff test is the one to go by, not the date.

      I'm adding your shortbread recipe into my file with mother's; maybe I'll bake both this Christmas! Thank you.

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  8. Mmmmmm! I love shortbread, and I enjoy baking when it's not 100+ degrees outside. I'll have to try this, Celia.

    The only straw-into-gold thing I can think of lately is that--back when I could never get sandwich bread--I learned how to adapt my favorite sandwiches to tortilla roll-ups. Now I actually like them better than bread. The only one that didn't adapt well for some reason was tuna salad, but it's fine atop an English muffin.

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    1. Oh Gigi, tuna salad on a muffin, so delicious, definitely gold. Yes this is a great cooler weather bake, or an AC one.

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  9. thank you Celia! In exchange, here is my recipe for chocolate shortbread. I make little heart cookies for Valentine's day:

    4 sticks unsalted butter, softened
    1 cup sugar
    1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    3 cups flour
    1 cup Dutch process unsweetened cocoa
    1 cup almond meal or finely ground blanched almonds
    preheat over to 325 F
    cream butter and sugar in mixer, add vanilla and salt, blend
    on low mixer speed, add flour, cocoa powder, and almond meal, mixing well
    divide into three pieces, wrap in plastic wrap and chill 30 minutes. Roll dough one piece at a time to 1/4 inch thick. Cut with cookie cutters, transfer to parchment lined sheets, repeat.
    bake until firm to the touch, about 20 minutes. cool on racks. can be frozen. makes 4 dozen cookies

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    1. You're most welcome Margaret, and I have just copies your choc shortbread recipe into my shortbread file because it looked delicious, thank you so much. Your recipe ratios look the same as my recipe does with the addition of the cocoa powder and vanilla. It will Interesting to try it out.

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  10. Those shortbread look wonderful. Since the epidemic landed on our doorsteps, I've make bread every single week, two loaves of wonderfulness. But other than that, I haven't baked at all. No cookies, no cakes, no pies, no nothing. I'm yearning for a key lime pie and I have all the ingredients, but I've got no inclination to do it.

    Here is my current favorite bread recipe, thanks to my friends Tim and Victor

    Oven at 350-360

    2 cups bread flour or whatever you've got
    1 cup whole wheat flour
    1/2 cup rye flour
    1 1/2 cup butter milk Or sour milk, made by adding a spoonful of vinegar to fresh milk
    2 tbls soft butter
    2 tbls sugar
    1 tbls salt
    1 tbls yeast
    2 tbls caraway seeds (optional)

    Mix the yeast and sugar with a bit of the buttermilk
    Whisk all the dry ingredients together, dump in the liquids and the knob of butter, and, using the dough hook on your stand mixer, let knead on low speed for 8-10 minutes. Then turn out on floured surface, and knead by hand for a couple minutes, until the dough feels silky and springy. Put in oiled bowl, turning once to coat, cover with a clean towel and let rise until doubled. In the meantime, grease two loaf pans.

    When doubled, punch down and divide into two pieces. Place in greased loaf pans, again cover with towel, and let rise again, until almost doubled.

    If you are big into seeds, you can brush on a egg wash and sprinkle with whatever. I used sesame, carroway, and poppy seeds. I do this oonce the dough is in the loaf pans but before the second rise is done.

    Bake in preheated over for 35 minutes.

    Eat one loaf immediately, with slatherings of butter. You know you want to do this.
    Freeze the second loaf.




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    1. Ann, this looks so great, clear instructions I have just copied it to my ever growing recipe file, luckily in the cloud, and I will make it. So make your friends some shortbread in return. Thank you very much.

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    2. Ann, thanks for the recipe. I am going to try that!

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  11. And you could add 1 tsp of key lime juice to the shortbread.. Celia or Julia, please send your mailing address to me (email = izchicpanda@gmail.com) my monthly shopping will happen next week, and I would like to get the juice to you before the postal workers all collapse from overwork.
    Shortbread: a luxury and it looks so easy.

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    1. Coralee, what a blessing you are. As soon as I have finished my comments I will email you, thank you so much. Yes I will make with lime juice as I love all things lime. This is a really easy recipe, and I wish I could bake it and mail you in return, but I think you might receive crumbs. Which are great on top of ice cream!

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  12. WASHING parchment paper ? Whoa. That is such a surprise. Okay then. And this short bread sounds yummy.
    Question for you Great Cooks: any tips for storing produce? I just bought some mesh cloth bags, and they seem to work. I used to use plastic bags with a paper towel inside, but it was so iffy!

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    1. I can't speak to the produce storage, Hank, but I was pleasantly surprised by Celia's success at washing parchment paper. I was telling her I hardly ever used it because it seems so wasteful, and she said, "Nonsense, I just wash mine and reuse it." Then she demonstrated it to me!

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    2. This is a tip I will put to use! Also hated using parchment paper because it seemed so wasteful.

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    3. Thanks Hank, yes, I think this maybe a bit of first world guilt combined with the aforementioned Scots blood thing. In any case it does work. Yes produce bags. When I die just cover me with the bags of plastic bags I'm saving till we can recycle them. I bought net produce bags in Whole Foods way back but my conclusion was not so good for storage, but good for shopping. Then I ordered some silicone storage bags from Amazon ( not a success) and they arrived with bags which are nylon based construction, but seem to let in air, I am happier with them for storage. But plastic bags, they will find it printed on my heart when I die, I swear.

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    4. Storing produce... depends on the produce. Start with cabbage... it never dies. If it's lettuce, I wash the leaves, lay them on a cloth dishtowel and roll the dishtowel up in a plastic bag. Lasts... awhile.

      And I've used wax paper when parchment is called for. Am I poisoning myself?

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    5. I doubt you're poisoning yourself Hallie, unless testing something for a murder. "The Parchment Murders", there now we just need the story, perhaps we give it to Roberta? You do raise a good point. Parchment vs wax paper. I would need to do a little research. Your lettuce storage is one I like to use though it doesn't really work with all the baby stuff. I agree cabbage seems indestructible.

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    6. Hank, can you give us the info on the mesh cloth bags?

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    7. I think these are the ones I bought: https://www.amazon.com/Reutilizable-Mesh-Produce-Bags-Lavable-ecol%C3%B3gico-premium-almacenamiento-supermercado-reutilizables/dp/B07X57TLJ8/ref=sr_1_7?crid=DJQRMRSLOTGA&dchild=1&keywords=mesh+produce+storage+bags&qid=1597599128&s=home-garden&sprefix=mesh+produce+%2Cdigital-text%2C168&sr=1-7

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    8. And yes, I am really big on waxed paper ,too.

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  13. Celia, thank you for the super recipe, and Margaret and Ann, your recipes sound wonderful, too. I will try each recipe, especially the short breads!!

    I bake constantly. We always have home baked bread for breakfast and we always have sweets here, too. Neither of us lacks self control. I only have one dessert a day and Irwin is pretty good about it, too.

    My freezer is full of cakes and cookies. I usually visit the kids, loaded for bear with goodies to last them months. It is cool in Connecticut today, so I've already done my "mie en place" for 4 different recipes to bake after lunch, when the butter and eggs reach room temp.

    Celia, I wondered how KAF reuses their parchment and now I know. Thank you, thank you for that huge helpful hint!

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    1. Judy, you are a baking dynamo, a true goddess, please enjoy this shortbread. Wow, four different recipes before lunch. I am in awe. And I wish I had your self control, though I am trying hard during lockdown. You are most welcome to my tip, spread it around.

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  14. That recipe will definitely be saved! I just know it is delicious! I learned so many things from Julia Child, from her books and the TV show. I had the book you pictured, as well as the next one but they burned up in the fire. I have since replaced the More book but haven't found the first one. Not doing much of any kind of cooking here nor baking either. Which is odd for me; usually by now I would have made at least one batch of peach cobbler but I seen to be enjoying the fruit fresh so why bother baking just for me? I truly must be lazy.

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    1. Judi, you're most welcome. I'm so sad about losing your books. My second copy is a second hand copy. I could loan you one of mine if you would like to copy the recipes you loved. I got both my second copies as Bearly books in Sudbury, Ma, where my daughter lives. The owner is delightful. If you contact her I'm sure she would search for you. Then it's a matter of How much it may cost. But it's a great resource, so seriously email me at wakefieldpro, I have a gmail account, and send me your address. Happy to loan to a sister JRW.

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    2. Celia, thank you so much for your generous offer. I'll definitely keep it in mind and meanwhile I might have another option I had not considered: my library!

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  15. Somewhere here on the jungle red site, there is a summer Sunday dinner recipe where, for dessert, Celia cut strawberries in half and soaked them in Grand Marnier. Then she served them with a bowl of whipped cream and shortbread. DIY strawberry shortcake, but much better than any strawberry shortcake I had had before!

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    1. The problem with most strawberry shortcake is... the shortcake. Often tasteless and dry. I'll bet Lucy has a good recipe for strawberry-shortcake shortcake.

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    2. Julia, that sounds swoony-fabulous!

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    3. I use my own, homemade lemon pound cake instead of shortcake. Works great for me. Strawberries soaked in Grand Marnier? I'm there.

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    4. Gigi, I want to move in with you, lemon pound cake, yes please.

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  16. My only kitchen 'hack' has been to encourage my nephew to cook more :-) He's learning that a recipe can be a jumping off point, based on what it calls for and what you actually have available.

    That shortbread looks wonderful--it was one of my mom's favs, too. I've only ever tried it once, with mediocre results. Think it's time to try again--not to mention the chocolate version. Ann, you've convinced me to encourage my nephew to try his hand at bread :-) Have a great day, all!

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    1. I love that you are mentoring your nephew. Nothing can be more rewarding or satisfying in my opinion. I am all for jumping off, into the fridge and mixing it up. Which is probably why I'm not a successful baker. But I'm learning patience in my advanced age. About time too! Ann's bread recipe does look amazing, I agree. Try this shortbread, it really does work, just make sure that after the butter is melted, I use my microwave, cool it down some. Good luck.

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  17. Celia, thanks for the recipe! Do you mean all purpose flour or the other kind? I have been baking during the pandemic.

    Diana

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    1. I use all purpose flour Bibliophile, sorry, I've lost your name but you are most welcome. Make them and enjoy it.

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    2. Thanks, Celia. Right now it is too hot to bake, though I look forward to baking in cooler weather.

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  18. I love shortbread but have never tried making it. Although it just occurred to me that maybe I did. I used to make a lemon bar cookie that had a shortbread base. I rarely bake anymore since Dad and my father-in-law are gone. Our granddaughter is living with us while she is attending culinary school, pastry track. So we’ve gotten samples of all sorts of breads and desserts. They will be making cookies this term. I know macarons are included. Don’t know about shortbread. But I will file your recipe and tips, Celia, in case the baking urge returns!

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    1. I'm very interested in what your granddaughter might say about the shortbread recipe. Do let me know.

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  19. I was awakened in the earlier, "still dark out there" morning hours by thunder, big huge thunder, and lightening. Not what you want to hear during a heatwave in the summer when the ground and grasses are dry, trees are brittle, we all think of the wildfires of the past. I finally got back to sleep and awake to see Julia's friend, neighbor and resident caterer is visiting JRWs with a new recipe. Nice comforting scones. Thank you. I never would have thought of wiping down parchment paper but then my parchment baking usually has drippy fruit turnovers on it. There is always one, it's a rule, one turnover that I didn't get sealed enough and it leaks during baking.

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    1. Deana, so glad no fire or flood. Summer storms scare me. We had the hurricane pass by a week ago, and more to come I fear. Love fruit turnovers. I have been reusing my parchment as I am making shortbread weekly at the most so it seemed something worth trying out. But parchment is also an easy way to a quick clean up. I wouldn't want to store used parchment for an extended period of time.

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    2. It was a spectacular show! We are in the midst of quite a heatwave. I'm in the southern end of the Bay Area and we had a lot of dry lightening early this morning. It is usually hot here, but not humid. We are getting a bit of monsoon from the southern Pacific. It was ninety degrees at 7:00 am this morning. The temperature on Thursday was 107, Friday 110, Saturday 110 and today 112. It is way too hot for baking right now, even with air conditioning. I will save this recipe to make in December when its only in the sixties or low seventies. My husband really likes short bread and he isn't a bad cook, he may make them first.

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  20. Celia, shortbread is my go-to--really my only--cookie. (Or 'biscuit' lol) I allow myself half a Walker's shortbread (in whatever shape I've been able to find) with my afternoon tea while I'm writing. I swear it's inspirational. But I've never actually made shortbread, so as soon as it cools off a bit here, I'm going to give your recipe a try.

    I use parchment paper when I make granola, but had never through of washing and re-using. Thanks for the tip!

    I have hardly baked at all during the pandemic. No bread, even though I have sourdough starters in the fridge. Cornbread a few times before it got too hot. I suppose my best pandemic hack has been discovering all the things I can make in the Instant Pot. It makes the best beans, ever, of any kind. And it doesn't heat up my kitchen. Oh, and last week I made yogurt from a half gallon of milk that was going out of date, and I hadn't done that in ages. That works best in the slow cooker, however. Even though my Instant Pot has a yogurt setting, it just doesn't so as well.

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    1. Debs, I think you will enjoy this one. We have lived on Walkers, I've even bought it from TJMaxx, and my best ever buy last year was a huge tin from Costco, just before Christmas. It lasted for months. Victor finds a piece in the middle of the night when he wakes is his sleep ticket. Hence my baking. Walkers is pricy for what one gets, Sigh. I don't have an instant pot. My instant pot, is two, old, cast iron, unglazed Le Crueset casseroles. Not as fast but gets the job done. And we don't live in the heat like you. I think cooking, baking in particular, may well turn out to be the pandemic hack.

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  21. I always brown the butter before proceeding with my shortbread recipe. It intensifies the rich flavor. For several years, I've sent a monthly package to a cousin in California. She, at 97, says it is the only sweet she enjoys.

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    1. Thank you PlumGaga, the butter tip is interesting. Melt mine in the microwave so not sure I can get it to brown. Lucky friend.

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  22. Oh! Thank you!! I love shortbread and have had good luck making it in the past. But so much work! I usually use Ina Garten's recipe, but yours sounds like THE recipe I'll be trying next!! Always enjoy seeing you here, Celia. Take care!

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    1. You are most welcome Kaye. I love being a part of JRW, what's more fun than sharing recipes. Yes a sit down with a new book from JRW!

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  23. As always, Celia, your recipe sounds delicious. I envy Julia being your neighbor. My baking has slowed down this summer. I was baking cakes like mad during the spring. If I get back to it, your shortbread would be a great new recipe to try.

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    1. Thank you Kathy, I think sometimes we need a rest, but the shortbread is a quick easy way to get going again, Good luck.

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  24. Sounds delicious! I've been devouring shortbread lately and am definitely adding this to recipes. Also, love the idea of reusing parchment paper! Thanks, Celia!

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  25. You're most welcome Jenn, just hide it from your boys!

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