Vanilla-Scented Shortbread
- Ready In:
- 1hr 30mins
- Ingredients:
- 8
- Yields:
-
24 cookies
ingredients
- 1 plump vanilla bean
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1⁄2 cup cornstarch
- 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄2 cup sugar
- 1⁄2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
- 3⁄4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 2 teaspoons coarse sugar, for sprinkling
directions
- Position oven rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat oven to 300°.
- Have two 7 1/2 inch fluted tart pans with removable bottoms or two 9-inch glass pie pans at hand.
- Using a paring knife, split the vanilla bean lengthwise; scrape the tiny seeds of the vanilla bean into a small bowl; discard the bean and set the seeds aside.
- Add the flour, cornstarch, and salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until blended.
- Add the sugar, vanilla bean seeds, and orange zest; profess a few seconds, until blended.
- Scatter the butter cubes over the flour mixture and pulse 6 or 7 times, then process for 6 seconds, or until the crumbs are fine and powdery.
- Process another 5-7 seconds, until the crumbs are clumpier and the dough holds together easily when pressed.
- Press the dough evenly and firmly into the tart pans (if using pie pans, press the dough only into the bottom of the pans, not the sides.
- Press the back of the tines of a fork all around the edges of each pan, and sprinkle the shortbread with the coarse sugar.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, until it is just barely colored a creamy beige; don't let it brown.
- Place the pans on a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes.
- Remove the rims of the pans if you are using tart pans, and cut each round into 12 wedges while it is still very warm.
- Transfer the triangles to the wire rack and cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
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