Julia Child's Hungarian Shortbread by Charles

Submitted by Bergy

"I was served this wonderful dessert at a friend's house for dinner and asked him to please let me have the recipe so I could post it here - It is a Julia Child! I love it because of the texture and not overly sweet. He used sour cherries instead of the rhubarb. You may use your favorite Jam or preserves instead of the rhubard. It really is easy to make if you follow the instructions."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 5mins
• Ingredients: 11
• Yields: 24 Bars

ingredients

• The Jam

• 1 lb rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1⁄2 cup water
• 1⁄2 vanilla bean

• The Shortbread

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1 lb unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 large egg yolks
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• confectioners' sugar, for dusting

directions

1. The Jam:

2. Place rhubarb, sugar& water in a saucepan.
3. Split the Vanilla bean and scrape the soft seeds into the pan, (keep the pod for further use in another recipe).
4. Bring to a simmer over low heat, cook stirring often until the rhubarb is soft.
5. Cool the jam.

6. Shortbread:

7. Whisk the flour, baking powder& salt together, set aside.
8. In another bowl beat the butter until it is pale and fluffy.
9. Add the egg yolks& sugar and beat until until the sugar is disolved and you have a light mixture.
10. With you mixer on low speed slowly add the flour mixture, mix ONLY until the ingredients are incorporated.
11. Turn the dough out on you cutting board, cut in half and form each half into a ball, wrap each ball in plastic wrap.
12. Freeze the dough for at least 30 minutes.

13. Assembling& Baking:

14. Preheat oven to 350F with rack in center of the oven.
15. Remove one ball of dough from the freezer and grate the dough into a 9x12" baking pan (use large hole side of your 4 sided grater).
16. Pat the dough- don't press it, so it gets evenly spread in the pan getting right into the corners too.
17. Spread with the Rhubard jam (or jam, preserve of your choice).
18. Grate the remaining ball of dough on top, pat gently so it is evenly spread.
19. Bake for apprx 40 minutes or until it is golden.
20. As soon as you take the pan from the oven dust the shortbread with confectioner's sugar and cool to room temperature on a rack.
21. Cut into bars.
22. The size& shape is up to you.
23. It is nice served with a dab of whipped cream.

Reviews

[Jane R.]

This recipe is in the Baking with Julia book. However the book is not a book of recipes by Julia Childs. It is a book of recipes by individual chefs in conjunction with Julia. This recipe is by Dorie Greenspan.

 

[Sabyan P.]

I hate rhubarb but this shortbread recipe was amazing. Tastes so good and easy to make. Did I say I hate rhubarb?

 

[Shatha A.]

Amazing Recipe and taste. Was served in Gaslight Brassire in Boston and was out of this world.