Martha Stewart's Basic Shortbread

I love shortbread, but for some odd reason I have never baked any until recently.  But I have to admit that only until a few years ago, I just wasn't that big on cookies, period.  As I've said before, I give credit to my new love of baking cookies to King Arthur Flour.  I think what helps is not just their pictures but of the descriptions of them, their taste and their texture.  More cookbooks need to include the author's personal experience and history with that recipe.  That's what gets me excited to try it.  Sometimes I am rewarded, and rarely it falls flat.  But that's the way the cookie crumbles (insert groans here).


Anyways, back to the shortbread.  This past weekend I made Martha's shortbread which I saw on one of her shows.  The unique thing about shortbread is if you store it right, it actually gets better!  Store it in an airtight container and it will last for 30 days.  This recipe hasn't had a chance to last 30 days as I took them to my daughter's softball tournament and shared them with the parents and the girls.  Hey, if I can keep pushing my baked goods on other people, my hubby doesn't mind me making all this stuff because then it's not sitting around the house tempting him.  Ya baby, I'm your pusher, baby!  This recipe is very easy and very tasty.  I want to try it dipped in chocolate next.  Here you go:

Martha Stewart’s Basic Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients:

·       1 1/3 cups (2 sticks plus 6 tbsp.) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans

·       2/3 cup sugar

·       3/4 tsp. salt

·       3/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract

·       3 1/3 cups flour

Directions:

    Preheat oven to 275º. Butter a 9x13x1" baking pan, and line bottom with parchment paper. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add salt and vanilla, and beat to combine. Add flour, 1 cup at a time, beating on low speed until just combined.

    Press dough into prepared pan, leveling and smoothing the top. Using a dough scraper or the back of a knife, cut dough lengthwise into nine strips, each slightly less than 1 inch wide. Cut the strips crosswise into 4 strips creating 36 3" bars. Using the tines of a fork or a wooden skewer, create a decorative pattern on the surface.

Bake shortbread until evenly pale golden, but not browned, 70 to 85 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool slightly, around 5 minutes. Invert pan, and remove parchment. Turn shortbread over, and carefully break, or cut with a serrated knife, into bars. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

Servings:  36 bars

These are quite simple to make and store.  You can even freeze them if you want to make extra and need them to keep for more than 30 days.  If you want to make them fancier, you can dip half of each cookie in melted chocolate and allow to cool on wax or parchment paper.  Or you can finely chop pistachios, almonds or pecans and roll the chocolate covered cookie in the nuts.  Get creative and enjoy!