A Pie Crust Approach to Shortbread

Making great shortbread just can't be that tough!  Sifting, whipping. . . historically, I can't imagine  busy Scottish women fussing so much as they prepared for daily tea.

This week I tried much the same technique as making pie crust:  mixing dry ingredients, and then cutting in chilled butter.  Very unhistorically, I used a food processor.

The dough was very crumbly.  I wondered if it would hold together, and tried to use the warmth of my hands to form it into a ball.

In the end, I just firmly pressed the dough into the cast iron skillet, and crossed my fingers.  This dough would never have worked for rolling and cutting cookies.

The shortbread actually turn out quite well.  My husband commented that he liked the "less creamy" texture.  Next week I'll try the same technique and use less flour.  My shortbread seems so pasty white.  Maybe a bit of brown sugar will give it some color.

Week after week, are the photos of shortbread looking all the same?  (Maybe it would be better to illustrate my expanding waistline. . . )


5.01.2010_Pie Crust Method Shortbread (Grade-B+)
Pan:  8 inch cast iron skillet
Oven temperature:  300 degrees F
Baking time:  40 minutes
Ingredients (blended in food processor)
     1/2 c. butter (organic sweet cream)
     1/3 c. powdered sugar
     1/4 tsp. sea salt
     1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour