Indulge in the delightful world of shortbread wheels, a classic Scottish treat that captivates taste buds with its crumbly texture, buttery flavor, and versatile variations. These delectable cookies, also known as petticoat tails or finger biscuits, are a staple in Scottish baking, often gracing tea parties, festive gatherings, and everyday snacking moments. With their wheel-like shape and delicate crumb, shortbread wheels offer a satisfying crunch that melts in your mouth, leaving a trail of buttery goodness. Explore the diverse recipes in this article, ranging from traditional shortbread wheels to creative twists infused with flavors like orange, ginger, and chocolate. Embark on a culinary journey that celebrates the timeless charm of shortbread wheels, uncovering the secrets to achieving perfect texture and taste, and discovering new flavor combinations that elevate this classic treat to new heights.
Let's cook with our recipes!
PISTACHIO PINWHEELS
This recipe, from "Dessert Person" (Clarkson Potter, 2020) is one of those ace-up-your-sleeve, slice-and-bake cookie recipes every baker needs. The pinwheels are super tasty, need no decoration and require no major assembly. These buttery, nutty, shortbready cookies achieve the highest calling for any recipe: They look and taste as if they are harder to make than they are. (Watch Claire make them here.)
Provided by Claire Saffitz
Categories cookies and bars, dessert
Time 40m
Yield 32 cookies
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- In a food processor, pulse the pistachios until they're very finely ground but not yet forming a paste, about 25 second-long pulses. Transfer the ground pistachios to a small bowl and set aside.
- To the same food processor (no need to wash after grinding the pistachios), add the butter and confectioners' sugar, and process until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the yolks and almond extract, and process until the mixture is smooth and light. Add the flour and salt, and pulse, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice, until you have a stiff, uniform dough.
- Transfer two-thirds of the dough (about 10 ounces/240 grams) to a medium bowl and add the almond flour to the bowl. Use a flexible spatula to work the almond flour into the dough until you have a uniform mixture.
- Scrape the almond dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Pat it down with your hands into a thinner layer, then place a piece of parchment paper on top. Roll out the dough between the sheets of parchment into a slab measuring about 12-by-8 inches and ¼-inch thick. (Uncover the dough and use a small offset spatula to shape the dough into a rectangle if necessary.) Slide the parchment paper onto a baking sheet and refrigerate the slab until firm, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the ground pistachios to the food processor with the remaining dough and pulse until the mixture is thoroughly blended and the dough has taken on a green color, about 7 pulses. Set aside at room temperature while the almond dough chills.
- Remove the almond dough from the refrigerator and plop tablespoon-size pieces of the pistachio dough across the surface of the slab. Use the offset spatula to spread the pistachio dough across the length of the slab in an even layer, leaving a 1/2-inch border along the longer sides. Starting at one of the longer sides and using the parchment paper to help you, roll the dough into a tight spiraled log. Wrap the log in parchment paper and transfer to the refrigerator. Chill until the dough is very firm, at least 1 hour.
- When ready to bake, arrange two oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and heat to 350 degrees. Line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Sprinkle the demerara sugar across a cutting board. Remove the log from the refrigerator, unwrap, and roll across the board in the sugar, pressing down very firmly as you roll so the sugar adheres. Continue to roll and press until the entire log is coated. Using a sharp knife, shave a thin crosswise slice off of each end so you have straight sides with the full spiral exposed. Cut the log in half crosswise, then cut each half in half again to make quarters, and cut each quarter in half again for eighths. (This ensures even, equal slices.) As you cut, roll the pieces on the cutting board to prevent the pinwheels from gaining a flat side and losing their round shape. Cut each piece into 4 equal slices to make 32 cookies.
- Divide the cookies between the two prepared baking sheets and space them evenly. Bake the cookies on the upper and lower racks until they are golden around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes, switching racks and rotating the sheets front to back halfway through baking. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheets.
MELT - IN - YOUR - MOUTH SHORTBREAD
This quick and easy shortbread will literally melt when you take a bite. Great for Christmas parties with a little bit of decorating.
Provided by Jennifer Wilton
Categories Desserts Cookies Drop Cookie Recipes
Time 25m
Yield 24
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Whip butter with an electric mixer until fluffy. Stir in the confectioners' sugar, cornstarch, and flour. Beat on low for one minute, then on high for 3 to 4 minutes. Drop cookies by spoonfuls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Watch that the edges don't brown too much. Cool on wire racks.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 111.1 calories, Carbohydrate 9.7 g, Cholesterol 20.3 mg, Fat 7.8 g, Fiber 0.2 g, Protein 0.9 g, SaturatedFat 4.9 g, Sodium 54.8 mg, Sugar 2.5 g
Tips:
- Proper Butter: Use high-quality, unsalted butter for the best flavor and texture.
- Creaming Butter and Sugar: Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This helps incorporate air into the mixture, resulting in a more tender shortbread.
- Chilling the Dough: Chilling the dough before rolling and baking helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much.
- Rolling the Dough: When rolling out the dough, aim for a thickness of about 1/4 inch. If the dough is too thin, the cookies will be too crispy; if it's too thick, they will be too soft.
- Cutting the Dough: You can use a variety of shapes to cut out the shortbread cookies. Traditional shapes include rounds, squares, and triangles.
- Baking the Cookies: Bake the cookies in a preheated oven at 325°F (165°C) until the edges are just starting to brown. This will ensure that the cookies are cooked through without overbaking.
- Storing the Cookies: Shortbread cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
Conclusion:
Shortbread cookies are a classic treat that are perfect for any occasion. They are easy to make and can be customized with a variety of flavors and toppings. With the right ingredients and a little care, you can create delicious shortbread cookies that will be enjoyed by everyone.
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
You'll also love