Fleischmann's® Canada Corn Starch Shortbread

 

An easy four ingredient recipe to literally whip up with basic pantry essentials. This shortbread is an absolute cult favourite amongst home bakers. A melt in your mouth biscuit that may be also known as Benson's Shortbread, Grandma's Shortbread, Canadian Shortbread or Whipped Shortbread. Fleischmann's® Canada Corn Starch Shortbread is how I remember it; as our pantry growing up always had a box of this brand of corn starch and this recipe was always on the back. What I add to the recipe usually changes depending on the seasons because I make shortbread throughout the year. Pictured above, I added chopped dried cranberries and mini dark chocolate chips to the flour mixture before adding the butter and found using clean hands to help form a dough easiest. 

Fleischmann's® Canada Corn Starch Shortbread

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1/2 cup (125 ml) Corn Starch

1/2 cup (125 ml) icing sugar

1 cup (250 ml) unbleached all purpose flour

3/4 cup (175 ml) butter, softened

Add ins:

1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries

1/2 cup mini dark chocolate chips

Sift together corn starch, icing sugar and flour. Using a wooden spoon, blend in the butter until a soft and smooth dough forms. Shape into 1 inch (2.5 cm) balls. If dough is too soft to handle, cover and chill for 30 - 60 minutes. Place 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) apart on an ungreased cookie sheet; flatten with a lightly floured fork. Alternatively, roll dough to 1/4 inch (6 mm); cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Decorate with candied cherries, coloured sprinkles or nuts, if desired. Bake in a 300ºF (150ºC) oven for 15 - 20 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on wire rack. Makes about 24 cookies. 

Crescents: Add 1/2 cup (125 ml) ground almonds or hazelnuts to flour mixture. Shape into logs about 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick and 3 inches (7 cm) long. Twist into crescent shapes. When baked and cool, dip ends in melted chocolate. 

Notes: Avoid over mixing and overworking the dough. Score the surface for even baking without bubbles or cracks. Sifting the flour before mixing helps remove lumps. Add fruit, nuts and chocolate, if using to the flour mixture. 

Gingerbread Cookies

 

Seriously spiced with a deep molasses flavour these gingerbread cookies are crunchy, giving them more of a ginger snap texture and quality. Some were lightly dusted with sparkling sugar for a more minimal and understated decorating approach, however whether you decorate these cookies traditionally or not they are a delightful. 

Gingerbread Cookies

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2 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup dark molasses

1/4 cup water

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, ground ginger, nutmeg and allspice. 

In a large bowl cream together the softened butter and sugar. Blend in the water and molasses and then add the flour mixture and blend well. Once a dough has been formed, cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours. 

Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC).

Roll dough to 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut with cookie cutters of your choice and place shapes on an ungreased baking sheet. Sprinkle with decorating sugar, if you wish.  

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove immediately from baking sheet and cool on wire racks. Trim with icing and candy decorations, if you wish. 

Notes: ovens vary so baking time may vary. You may line the baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat. 

Classic Shortbread

Traditional buttery shortbread are superb with a cup of afternoon tea and for me, they offer more... much more, solace as these were my mum and grandmothers staple biscuit they baked, gifted or sent in holiday care packages. I diligently carry on that tradition throughout the year and often times these have become the biscuits I share most with family and friends as they are the ones that frequently get asked for. This recipe is simple, no need for a food processor, it is all done by hand and it's important the butter be room temperature for a decent rich dense buttery shortbread.  

Classic Shortbread

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1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, room temperature soft

1 teaspoon (5 g) Kosher salt

2/3 cup (134 g) granulated white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, optional

2 cups (256 g) unbleached all purpose flour

1 - 2 tablespoons fine white sugar for sprinkling

Heat oven to 325ºF (170ºC). Line the bottom of a 8 - inch or a 9 - inch square baking tin with baking parchment. 

In a large bowl stir the room temperature butter with a wooden spoon until soft and creamy, the texture should resemble mayonnaise. Add the salt and stir to combine. Add the sugar and vanilla and stir again until combined, then add the flour and stir until just combined, the dough will be coarse and a bit lumpy

Press the dough into the prepared baking tin, smooth the top using the bottom of a drinking glass and gently prick the top with the tines of a fork. Using a sharp knife carefully pre-mark or score slices, not cutting all the way through, this makes it easier to cut when warm.  

Bake until golden brown, approximately 40 to 50 minutes for an 8 - inch pan or 30 to 40 minutes for a 9 - inch pan. Checking around 30 minutes.  

Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool and carefully cut into bars or squares, using the pre- cut marks as a guide. Sprinkle with 1 or 2 tablespoons of sugar, I used a lavender vanilla sugar.  

Rosemary Lemon Loaf

 

Rosemary Lemon Loaf is appropriate for Remembrance Day/Armistice Day or when we reflect upon loved ones who are no longer with us. Rosemary is for remembrance, may we never forget and the lemon, not to deter from sombreness but to gently ease a spirited and uplifting remembrance for our memories and the loving memories of those to which they live on in. Even in mourning there is a balance between good and bad days and this loaf modestly reflects that. When remembering and honouring the dead, serve slices with sprigs of rosemary and it is customary to have two plates, one for the living and one for the dead. 

Rosemary Lemon Loaf

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2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

zest and juice of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup milk

thin slices of fresh lemon, seeds removed

1 tablespoon sugar

1 fresh sprig of rosemary

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease and lightly flour a 2 lb loaf tin and line with baking parchment paper. 

In a bowl whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. 

In another large bowl mix together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, rosemary and olive oil until combined. Add the dry ingredients (flour mixture) and milk  and stir just until combined. Pour the batter into the prepare baking tin. 

Place the slices of lemon on top of the batter. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the lemons. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into centre comes out clean. 

Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully remove from tin and allow loaf to cool on a wire rack completely. Once completely cool sift the icing sugar over the loaf and place the fresh rosemary sprig on top.   

Notes: Oven vary therefore baking times may vary.

Food Photo of the Day ~ Baked Cheese Tortellini

 

Baked tortellini is always on heavy rotation in our house during the darker half of the year. I am not surprised, who can resist tortellini nestled in a thick and rich herbed tomato sauce and topped with loads of stringy melted cheese. It's a culinary comfort that is so fulfilling and a pleasure to make. 

Cook the tortellini according to package directions. Add tomato sauce, homemade or readymade, to the cooked tortellini and gently toss to coat. Place sauced tortellini in a oven proof baking dish, mine was 9x 13 inches. Top with shredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheese and bake in a preheated 350ºF (180ºC) oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Until cheese is melt and the sauce is bubbling. Turn the oven off and switch to broil and broil on high for a few minutes until the cheese is nicely golden brown and slightly crisp. Serve sprinkled with parsley.