Raspberry Shortbread

Submitted by evelynathens

"The most amazing shortbread cookies I have ever made!!! The secret is the grated, frozen dough - and the raspberry filling really sends it over the top."

 

• Ready In: 55mins
• Ingredients: 8
• Yields: 12-16 bars or wedges

ingredients

• 1 lb butter, at room temperature
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup raspberry jam, at room temperature
• 1⁄2 cup confectioners' sugar

directions

1. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the butter until soft and fluffy.
2. Add the egg yolks and mix well.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together the granulated sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Add to the butter/egg yolk mixture and mix just until incorporated and the dough starts to come together.
5. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and form into 2 balls.
6. Wrap each ball in plastic wrap and freeze at least 2 hours or overnight, or for as long as a month.
7. Preheat the oven to 350F.
8. Remove 1 ball of dough from the freezer and coarsely grate the frozen dough into the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch baking pan or a 10 inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
9. Make sure the surface is covered evenly with shreds of dough; gently press down on dough to compact slightly.
10. With a spoon or spatula, spread the jam over the surface, to within 1/2-inch of the edge all the way around.
11. Remove the remaining dough from the freezer and coarsely grate it over the entire surface.
12. Bake until light golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes.
13. As soon as the shortbread comes out of the oven, dust with confectioners sugar.
14. Cool on a wire rack, then cut in the pan with a serrated knife.

Reviews

[Acerast]

Pretty and delicious. I baked these for a Valentines dessert tray. Everyone loved them! Despite the grating of the dough being necessary for the texture and an excellent way to build your arm muscles, they were quite easy to make. Due to the richness - I cut them into 24 smaller bars. They also seemed to have a bit more contrast of crispy-outside to soft-center on the second day so I will age them next time I prepare them. I made two batches; one in a glass pan and the other in metal. The metal pan yielded an crisper textured crust on the bottom (which I prefer) while the ones in the glass pan had a soggy bottom in the center of the pan. Great and elegant treat! Thanks Evelyn

 

[Calee]

These are the most amazing shortbread cookies/bars I have ever eaten!! Directions are awesome, I used homemade seedless raspberry jam. I used the food processor to shred the frozen dough and shaped it into four equal pieces that would fit into the tube. Mine baked up in 42 minutes. I would like to try these with cranberry filling. These make a lovely addition to our holiday goodie tray, thanks so much for sharing this one!!

 

[enigmused]

I halved the recipe and baked it in an 8x8 pan. the dough was a pain to grate by hand so I definitely will keep halving the recipe until I get a cuisinart, but it was so worth it! the shortbread was light and airy and I loved the different consistencies between the base layer and the top layer. I mixed my raspberry jam with lemon rind and some fresh ginger, so I guess it became lemon raspberry ginger shortbread, but it was fantastic nonetheless :) thanks for a great recipe!

 

[CobraLimes]

Remarkable!!!! I also used my Cuisinart with the shredding blade and divided the dough into 8 feeding tube sized portions prior to freezing. I quickly microwaved my fillings for ease in spreading. I didn't have enough raspberry jam on hand so I divided my 9 X 13 pan into thirds and put raspberry on 1/3, apricot jam on 1/3, and chocolate chips on 1/3. It took 1 hour for the baking time. I sliced each third into 8 pieces; a nice assortment of 24 good sized morsels. The raspberry was the best and I will definitely prepare in advance next time. I love this technique and really appreciate the ease, flavor, and elegance of this shortbread. Thank you soooooo much for this truly sensational recipe!

 

[Marie Nixon]

One of my all time favorite cookies. This recipe is fabulous! Grating the dough makes for a light and airy cookie. Follow the directions exactly. They are very well written.