Makes: About 2 dozen
Time: About 20 minutes, plus time to chill
Shortbread cookies taste predominantly of butter, the principal ingredient. How great is that? This makes them very tender with a crisp, crumbly texture. You can prepare them in a number of ways, and the finished cookies freeze wonderfully—just thaw at room temperature.
For more flavor, add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon almond extract, or 1 teaspoon cinnamon or see the variations. Shortbread goes superbly with a number of toppings: citrus curd, Fruit Jam, Chocolate Ganache Glaze, or even Whipped Cream.
1. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar on low speed, just until combined, 30 seconds or so. Still on low speed, beat in the egg yolk, then the flour and salt, until the mixture barely holds together; this will take a few minutes. Take care to not overwork the dough.
2. Shape the dough into 2 logs about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap the logs tightly in plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
3. Heat the oven to 275°F. Slice the logs ¼ inch thick and put on ungreased baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake until just firm but still quite tender and not at all brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool for a minute on the sheets before transferring the cookies to wire racks to finish cooling. Store on a plate, uncovered, for no more than a day.
CAKE PAN SHORTBREAD Grease two 8- or 9-inch cake pans. Divide the dough in half and press each piece evenly into a pan. Use a fork to prick a few holes into the dough; this will keep it from bubbling when it bakes. Chill until firm, at least 30 minutes. Bake until the top is barely golden, 35 to 40 minutes. Immediately turn out the shortbread onto a plate and use a knife or pizza cutter to cut it into wedges or bars.
ROLLED SHORTBREAD Shape the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill until firm, at least 1 hour. Roll it ¼ inch thick on a lightly floured surface, turning the dough as you work to prevent sticking, then cut it into shapes. Bake until lightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
WHOLE WHEAT SHORTBREAD Whole wheat gives the shortbread a nice nutty flavor: Add another egg yolk and replace the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. These are good sprinkled with crunchy sugar, like turbinado or muscovado, before baking.
NUT SHORTBREAD Substitute ½ cup nut flour (see page 15 to make your own) for ½ cup of the all-purpose flour. Add ¾ cup finely chopped toasted nuts to the dough before chilling. If you like, add ½ teaspoon cardamom or nutmeg along with the flour.
LEMON SHORTBREAD Citrusy tang lightens these dense, buttery cookies: Add 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest to the dough. For an even stronger lemon flavor, drizzle the cooled cookies with Lemon Glaze.
CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD Substitute ½ cup cocoa powder for ½ cup of the flour and fold ½ cup or so finely chopped dark chocolate into the dough before chilling.
MAPLE SEMOLINA SHORTBREAD Semolina flour accentuates the sandy texture, while maple adds a delicate sweetness: Decrease the flour to 1⅔ cups and add ½ cup semolina flour. Replace the sugar with ⅔ cup maple syrup.
PETIT BEURRE COOKIES A French grocery store staple; even better if you can find a cookie cutter to achieve the signature scalloped edges: Use only 1¼ sticks of butter and replace the confectioners’ sugar with ½ cup granulated sugar. Melt them together in a saucepan or microwave until the sugar is dissolved; let cool before proceeding. Replace the egg yolk with 2 tablespoons milk, cream, or crème fraîche. Knead the finished dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill until firm, at least 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Let thaw slightly, then roll out the dough very thin, about ⅛ inch thick, and use a knife or cookie cutter to cut shapes. Prick the cookies with a fork and bake until lightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
ALFAJORES Quite possibly the most underrated sandwich cookie: Bake the cookies and let cool completely, then spread 2 teaspoons Dulce de Leches between 2 cookies.