Classic Shortbread Cookies

My favorite shortbread was my “initial bake” in Truckee where I discovered there was a problem here. I have always loved making thse cookies as I typically infuse them with herbs like lavender and basil. They have a very subtle taste that leaves people wondering what it is that gives them such a different but wonderful flavor.

As for how they bake, they typically rise up, leaving a nice higher edge around the circumference that stays on the bake. My first time they all just melted into a flat mess, almost like a French Tuile cookie.

Thankfully, the recipe took very little altering but a MUST which is with all cookies I have baked up here is to make sure the sliced raw cookies were totally frozen before going into the oven. I baked them at 400 degrees in a convection oven to lock in the structure on the outside to avoid them “melting/spreading” again and continued to bake them at that temperature even though I normally reduce the heat after that initial high heat “blast”.

The little bit of extra flour really helped them to hod their shape.

Yield: Roughly 3 - 4 Dz. depending on how thick you slice the cookie

Sea Level	High Altitude	Why the Change?
3 cups all-purpose flour	3 cups + 3 Tbsp	To add a little more structure to compensate for faster moisture loss and to help reduce spreading without making the cookies tough which extra flour can do sometimes
¾ cup granulated sugar	Reduce by 1 Tbsp	Reducing the sugar a little can also  help reduce spreading  and allow the cookies to remain firm  while retaining the texture of a nice butter cookie
1½ cups cold unsalted butter	No change	Because butter is the main ingredient in these cookies as they are a classic shortbread, reducing it would change the texture making them a different cookie

Method:

1. Note: Preheat oven AFTER shortbread cookies have ben frozen. Preheat oven to 400 Convection, 425 Conventional

Note: These are high altitude temperatures.

2. Cream butter and sugar until well blended

3. Add in flour and beat until well incorporated. 

4. Scrape down the sides.

Note: Dough will be soft but you will be able to roll it into cylinders.Roll into logs approximately 1 ½” wide. Wrap in parchment paper

5. Chill in the refrigerator until firm enough to slice.

6. Slice ½ “ thick. Put on a sheet pan lined either with parchment paper or a silpat mat, favored. Freeze until very firm.

7. Bake approximately 10 minutes at 400 degrees in convection oven or 425 in Conventional Oven to set structure then lower temperatures for the last approximate 10 minutes

WHEN ARE THE DONE?

• 195–200°F intermal temperature

• Edges: Just beginning to turn pale golden.

• Center: Set and no longer looks wet or glossy.

• Feel: Firm around the edges but still slightly "spongy" in the center.

• Cooling: They will firm considerably as the butter cools, so don't wait until they're hard in the oven.

To Flavor:

1. Blend a handful of whatever herb you like with the sugar in a food processor before blending with butter

Basil, Lavender, Rose Petals, Grated Orange Rind, Grated Lemon Rind….

Suggested Flavors:

1. Lavender with Lemon Sugar 

2. Basil with Orange Sugar, dip half in tempered white chocoalte

3. Lemongrass Sugar