Shortbread Cookie

It has been 19 years since I left my secondary school ( or high school as it is known here ). I was reminded of this fact, very recently, when my old school friend visited me from Ghana. It is so hard to believe that so much time has passed by. It really doesn't feel that long to me. It is as if my body and my mind are aging differently. My body, the traitor, has to be so darn honest and make sure that I look my age ! My mind on the other hand is carefree and will always remain young, forever. Now if only my body can be more like my mind then there is nothing else left to desire for. I think you should always be only as old as you think.

So all this re-visiting the past brought to mind one of my favorite cookies called the Shortbread cookie that I immensely enjoyed in my childhood. When I saw this recipe in Tartine, I knew I had to make it and I was not disappointed. She has such a wonderful line up of recipe that would make anyone drool. Next I am going to try her croissants.

This rich, delicate cookie that instantly crumbles and melts in your mouth was loved by everyone at our home. It is not a very sweet cookie, so if this is your first time having a shortbread do not be alarmed by the lack of sweetness that is commonly associated with cookies. As a matter of fact the sweetness is enhanced by the sugar that gets sprinkled on top. I will definitely be making this recipe over and over again.

Makes about 9 -10  three-inch long cookies or according to the book - Yield one 6 by 10 inch pan, about sixty 2 by 1/2 inch bars

Ingredients

1 cup + 2 tbsp / 255gm / 9 oz softened, unsalted butter ( butter should be really soft, like mayonnaise consistency )
a tad bit less than 1/2 tsp /  salt ( in the book she uses 1/2 tsp )
1 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp all purpose flour/ maida
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp cornstarch
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup superfine or granulated sugar for topping

Method

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and position the rack to the middle of the oven.
• Generously butter a 8x8" square baking pan ( in the book they used a 6x10" glass baking dish )
• In a medium size mixing bowl, add your butter and salt together. Using a spatula mix these two together till they are thoroughly blended. Next goes in the sugar. Stir this in thoroughly too. The sugar should be fully blended into the butter.
• In another medium mixing bowl, mix the all purpose flour and corn starch together. Add this to the butter mixture and using the spatula mix it all together. You can use your fingers too.
• It will all come together in a soft dough, transfer this to the buttered baking pan and pat it down till it is spread out evenly and has covered every inch of the pan.
• Bake for about 30 minutes. It is done when the edges get a little brown but the center still remains pale cream in color.
• Remove from the oven and let it cool at room temperature on a cooling rack.
• Once the temperature reduces from hot to warm and its comfortable to touch, sprinkle the granulated sugar all over the top and cut it up with a sharp knife into rectangular fingers of about 1/2 inch wide and 2 inch long ( the warm cookies will cut well, when they become cold they will not cut well ). Let the pieces still remain in the baking pan. once fully cooled, transfer the pan to a fridge to chill thoroughly. Now they are ready to be removed from the pan and enjoyed.
• Store these cookies in an air tight container at room temperature, they can stay thus for about 2 weeks.