Shortbread : COLLECTION

From: r.gagnaux@chnet.ch (Rene Gagnaux)
Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1993 11:00:00 +0100
I like Scotland ! Here two special shortbread recipes.

For the first one, it's a nice story about the origin
of these curiously-named shortbread biscuits:

     - some say the name was derived from the french "petites gatelles",
       meaning little cakes
     - others that its origin lies in the shape of the biscuit which is a
       replica of the Elizabethan full gored skirt
     - third possibility: it was the clever invention of a cook after
       years of broken tips to triangular shaped biscuits :-)


MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v7.07
 
      Title: Petticoat tails
 Categories: Cookies
   Servings:  1

    350 g  Plain flour (12 oz)
    170 g  Butter (6 oz)
     50 g  Granulated sugar (2 oz)
      4 tb Milk
 
  Sift the flour into a bowl and stir in the sugar. Gently heat the butter
  and milk together and as soon as the butter has melted stir the liquid
  into the flour to make a soft but not sticky dough.

  Turn it onto a floured surface and kneat it lightly. Divide the dough in
  half then roll the halves out directly onto a baking tray into 9-inch
  rounds using a large plate as a guide. Flute the edges.

  Cut out a 2-inch circle from the centre but leave it in place. Divide the
  outer ring into eight, keeping the inner circle whole. Sprinkle with
  granulated sugar and bake at 180 oC (350 oF) for about 30 minutes or until
  golden brown and crisp.

  From: Janet Warren, A feast of Scotland, 1990, ISBN 1-85051-112-8

MMMMM

Now the other one:

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v7.07
 
      Title: Chocolate toffee shortbread (Millionaire's shortbread !!)
 Categories: Cookies
   Servings:  1

MMMMM----------------------------SHORTBREAD---------------------------------
    175 g  Butter (6 oz)
    175 g  Granulated sugar (6 oz)
    225 g  Plain flour (8 oz)
     60 g  Cornflour (cornstarch) (2oz)
      1 ts Baking powder

MMMMM-----------------------------CARAMEL----------------------------------
    175 g  Granulated sugar (6 oz)
    175 g  Butter (6 oz)
    450 g  Condensed milk (15 oz)
      1 tb Syrup
           Few drops of vanilla extract

MMMMM----------------------------TO FINISH---------------------------------
    175 g  Dark plain (semisweet)
           -- chocolate

  a) Shortbread
  
  Cream together the butter and sugar, beating very well. Sift together the
  flour, cornflour and baking powder and beat into the butter and sugar.
  
  Spread the mixture in a 30 cm (12 in) long baking tin, about 4 to 5 cm ( 1
  to 2 in) deep and smooth even. Bake in a preheated oven, 180 oC (350 oF)
  for 20 minutes (or until golden brown). Take the tin out of the oven and
  set aside to cool for 10 minutes while you make the caramel.
  
  b) Caramel

  Put all the ingredients for the caramel - except the vanilla - into a
  saucepan. Over a moderate heat, stir until the butter has melted and the
  sugar dissolved completely. Then bring the mixture to the boil and boil
  for 5 to 7 minutes.
  
  Take the pan off the heat, stir in the vanilla and continue stirring for
  2-3 minutes to cool it slightly. Then pour it over the shortbread.
  
  Leave to cool completely.
  
  To finish, melt the chocolate over hot water (no overheat !!) and pour it
  over the caramel layer.
  
  When it is cool, mark into squares with a sharp knife (makes 12 - 16).
  
  Store in airtight container.
  
  From: Claire Macdonald, Lady Macdonald's Scotland, Bulfinch, 1990, ISBN
  0-8212-1809-3
 



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