I made shortbread cookies couple nights ago. not bad, but coulda been
better.

I used quality butter, quality flour, cheap pwdr suger. I suspect the
suger. Maybe cheap pwdr suger has MORE cornstarch. I don't know.
I'll probably use bakers or bar sugar next time. One recipe added one
egg. All opinions welcome.

nb

"notbob" > wrote in message
...
>I made shortbread cookies couple nights ago. not bad, but coulda been
> better.
>
> I used quality butter, quality flour, cheap pwdr suger. I suspect the
> suger. Maybe cheap pwdr suger has MORE cornstarch. I don't know.
> I'll probably use bakers or bar sugar next time. One recipe added one
> egg. All opinions welcome.
>
> nb
You didn't say what is was about the cookies that you didn't care for.
Texture? Sweetness? Flavor? What?
Janet

On 2009-11-09, Janet Bostwick > wrote:

> You didn't say what is was about the cookies that you didn't care for.
> Texture? Sweetness? Flavor? What?

Good point, Janet. They were pretty good.

I can only say, they had a slightly "powdery" flavor, like a roux
based gravy/sauce not cooked long enough to kill the flour taste.
That's why I suspectected the pwdr suger, as I let the cookie dough
set for 3 hrs, much longer than the 1 hr recommended.

Bottom line.... they're gone ...ate 'em all! I jes want better.

nb

In article >,
notbob > wrote:

> On 2009-11-09, Janet Bostwick > wrote:
>
> > You didn't say what is was about the cookies that you didn't care for.
> > Texture? Sweetness? Flavor? What?
>
> Good point, Janet. They were pretty good.
>
> I can only say, they had a slightly "powdery" flavor, like a roux
> based gravy/sauce not cooked long enough to kill the flour taste.
> That's why I suspectected the pwdr suger, as I let the cookie dough
> set for 3 hrs, much longer than the 1 hr recommended.
>
> Bottom line.... they're gone ...ate 'em all! I jes want better.
>
> nb

Refrigerate it overnight.
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>

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On Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:12:02 GMT, notbob > wrote:

>I made shortbread cookies couple nights ago. not bad, but coulda been
>better.
>
>I used quality butter, quality flour, cheap pwdr suger. I suspect the
>suger. Maybe cheap pwdr suger has MORE cornstarch. I don't know.
>I'll probably use bakers or bar sugar next time. One recipe added one
>egg. All opinions welcome.
>
You forgot to include the recipe. Which kind of sugar did the recipe
call for originally?


--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

On 2009-11-09, sf > wrote:
> On Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:12:02 GMT, notbob > wrote:

>>I used quality butter, quality flour, cheap pwdr suger.

> You forgot to include the recipe. Which kind of sugar did the recipe
> call for originally?

You need to put down the pipe.

nb

On Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:58:14 GMT, notbob > wrote:

>On 2009-11-09, sf > wrote:
>> On Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:12:02 GMT, notbob > wrote:
>
>>>I used quality butter, quality flour, cheap pwdr suger.
>
>> You forgot to include the recipe. Which kind of sugar did the recipe
>> call for originally?
>
>You need to put down the pipe.
>
I thought it was a reasonable request.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

In article >,
notbob > wrote:

> I made shortbread cookies couple nights ago. not bad, but coulda been
> better.
>
> I used quality butter, quality flour, cheap pwdr suger. I suspect the
> suger. Maybe cheap pwdr suger has MORE cornstarch. I don't know.
> I'll probably use bakers or bar sugar next time. One recipe added one
> egg. All opinions welcome.
>
> nb

Mom never added eggs. :-) Did you use salted or unsalted butter?
Salt can ruin the texture of these imho.

Mom used unsalted butter, powdered sugar and well sifted flour.
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>

Subscribe:

On Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:12:02 GMT, notbob > wrote:

>I made shortbread cookies couple nights ago. not bad, but coulda been
>better.
>
>I used quality butter, quality flour, cheap pwdr suger. I suspect the
>suger. Maybe cheap pwdr suger has MORE cornstarch. I don't know.
>I'll probably use bakers or bar sugar next time. One recipe added one
>egg. All opinions welcome.

I would agree on the sugar and GGmother would roll in her grave and
cuss in Gaelic of the Scottish variety with a hint of a wee bit too
much whiskey if you ever mentioned putting that egg in **HER**
shortbread.

She always used granulated sugar closer to raw or turbinado and would
cuss up a storm about powdered sugars. something about too much _____
added by those corporate ____!! Anything that called for powdered
would either have simple syrup used or not be cooked.

Brown sugar was also in her vocabulary just not for shortbread.

I will quietly admit to creaming the butter and and dark brown sugar
with various other adulterants and making shortbread...

I wonder where I got my dislike for the corporate world in general
LOL.

>
>nb
Actual email is 'wblalok .at. xmission .dot. com' to reply

On 2009-11-11, Will@Blaylock <Will@Blaylock> wrote:

> I would agree on the sugar and GGmother would roll in her grave and
> cuss in Gaelic of the Scottish variety with a hint of a wee bit too
> much whiskey if you ever mentioned putting that egg in **HER**
> shortbread.
>
> She always used granulated sugar closer to raw or turbinado and would
> cuss up a storm about powdered sugars. something about too much _____
> added by those corporate ____!! Anything that called for powdered
> would either have simple syrup used or not be cooked.
>
> Brown sugar was also in her vocabulary just not for shortbread.
>
> I will quietly admit to creaming the butter and and dark brown sugar
> with various other adulterants and making shortbread...
>
> I wonder where I got my dislike for the corporate world in general
> LOL.

Now we're talking!! Some real discussion on shortbread, not just
pedantic pestering. I like the whiskey idea, though I realize it has
to be almost a breath of the beast. Lord knows I'll never use
powdered sugar again.

I finally remembered my best commercial shortbread experience, Royal
Edinburgh, I'm sure. Eeee-ville little things. I wanna recreate them
little crack-inna-cookie bars.

nb

OK, i have read all the replies to this thread and thought it was time to sort this out once and for all.

I am Scottish, the home of shortbread, and home of the best shortbread recipes.

The traditional recipe for Shortbread is a simple 3 - 2 - 1 recipe.
3 parts plain flour
2 parts butter
1 part caster sugar (not sure what this would be in the US)

the method is simple to: -
150g of flour into a bowl, add the 100g butter (room temp), and the 50g of sugar.
Mix by hand, no spoons, no utensiles, rub together.
As soon as it comes together stop mixing. if you carry on the flour starts to go doughy.
roll out to approx 12mm 1/2 inch thick and cut out the biscuit shapes. or put into a flat baking tray till about.
Bake in ven for 20 mins at 170 deg C / 320 deg F / Gas Mark 3.
if in a tray cut into fingers, but do not remove until cool.
Sprinkle with a little sugar.
Once they are completely cool take out and anjoy with a nice strong cut of Tea.

you can see how i have done this on my blog, it shows pics of my and my son making shortbread. He loves it, and everyone loves eating it.
Itchen in the Kitchen: October 2009