Buttery Shortbread

Simple and elegant make their return in this delightful cookie recipe. With just a few ingredients you get a cookie that shines beyond its modest beginnings. This is another wonderful recipe taken from Sarabeth's Bakery. Many thanks to the baker!

This isn't a recipe for those squeamish about butter. Butter is a fact of life when you bake, and using shortcuts (or substitutes) just isn't going to get you where you want to go. Consider these a treat (and perfect hostess gift if you are invited to dinner) and rest assured that after just one or two you will be more than satisfied.

For an added touch, I dipped some of these cookies into dark chocolate, which if you are up for the extra step I've added that information below.

I made a few discoveries as I was pulling these together. First, I doubled the recipe, which means that when you go to roll these out, divide the dough into two parts and save half wrapped in plastic wrap for later. It will make it easier to handle. I also needed more than just a light "dusting" of flour to roll everything out, so if you dough is a little sticky, just add a little more flour. The recipe below is just for the single batch, but it is fine to double if you would like. Also, if you have good cookie sheets (things don't typically stick,) you likely won't need to cover your pans with parchment paper.

Ingredients:
16 tbs (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup superfine sugar (found in a well stocked grocery store)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Grated zest of 1/2 a lemon
2 cups all purpose flour (additional flour needed for rolling out the dough)
1/8 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar for sprinkling

Optional:
6 oz of 60% dark chocolate, melted

Directions:
Beat the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until the butter is smooth, about 1 minute. Continuing to beat the butter on medium high speed, gradually add the sugar, then the vanilla and lemon zest, mixing until the butter mixture is light in color and texture. This will take about 3 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low. In thirds, add the flour and salt. Mix, scraping down the sides of the bowl to be sure the dough is well combined, until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl.

Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and knead briefly until smooth Dust the work surface and the top of the dough with flour and roll the dough into a 1/4 inch thick rectangle. Using a 2 1/2 inch round fluted cookie cutter, cut out the cookies and place them 1 inch apart on the cookie sheets. Gather up the scraps, roll out and cut more cookies until all of the dough has been used. Refrigerate the cookies until chilled, about 30 minutes (or find a very cool spot in your house if you don't have room in the refrigerator).

Position the oven racks to the center and top third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Bake the cookies, switching the position of the pans from top to bottom and front to back half way through baking (for consistent browning) and bake until the edges are lightly browned - about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle the cookies with the granulated sugar - the sugar will not stick if you don't do this when the cookies are still hot. Cool completely on the pans, then remove to a tray. The cookies will keep for about 5 days in an airtight container. That is if they last that long.

If you decide to dip these in chocolate, melt the chocolate in a double boiler on the stove. Let the chocolate cool and then dip one half of the cooled cookie into the chocolate. Place the cookie on wax paper to cool so the chocolate can set.
Enjoy!