Sunday, September 13, 2009

fruit-filled shortbread

this is a variation on one of my new favorite recipes: chocolate-raspberry filled shortbread.

short bread-- along with macaroni & cheese and bolognese sauce-- was one of the first things i learned to cook by myself. it also happens for be favored by a lot of people i know: daddy, j, aunt diane and mrs. bender, my high school latin teacher (salvete, maestra!) (that's probably wrong, i got a c in latin), probably because it's awesome and delicious and crumbly and perfect. probably. j also favors blueberries, and he's coming over for salmon and leffe blonde tonight, so i made these blueberry.

ingredients:

  • 1 cup butter
  • 3/8 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 3/8 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups flour
  • about 1/3 cup jam (blueberry, here, or seedless raspberry)
  • (2-4 ounces of finely chopped white or semi-sweet chocolate)

prep:

  • allow butter to soften very slightly
  • reserve 1 tbs of butter for greasing the pan-- and because this recipe actually needs 7/8 cups butter
  • preheat oven to 300*

actual cooking:

  • beat butter on low about 1 minute
  • add sugar
  • add vanilla & salt
  • add flour and beat until just combined
  • line a tart pan with plastic wrap
  • divide dough in 2 equalish parts

  • pat half into the lined tart pan and chill in the freezer until it (and its plastic) can be removed in one piece-- leave the dough in the freezer until called for, but take out the pan because you need it now

  • grease the tart pan with remaining tbs (or less) of butter
  • pat the other half of the dough into the pan

  • add your filling

  • spread it to about 1/2 and inch from the edge


  • remove other dough from the freezer, carefully removing the plastic and laying it fingerprints down on top of the filling

  • allow dough to soften for 5-10 minutes until you can press the edges together without damaging the dough (i got distracted when my volunteer gig called to see if i could work 12-2 tonight)
  • bake for 45-55 minutes until golden
  • allow to cool most of the way
  • slice with a thin, sharp knife

No comments: