HomeRecipesDay 8: 12 Days of Recipes 2017 - Vanillas & Shortbread
Day 8: 12 Days of Recipes 2017 - Vanillas & Shortbread
December 14, 2017
Day 8: Gift & Stocking Stuffer Ideas
Does someone on your gift list love to bake? At Well Seasoned, we have a great selection of tools and ingredients for the amateur or professional baker. We do custom gift baskets and have several baking cooking classes queued up this winter. Pastry Chef Janice hosts a Fruit-Filled Dessert Class on January 10th and a Chocolate! Chocolate! class on the 24th! Buy a class vouchers online and gift it to the sweet-tooth on your gift list.
Another great gift for the baking enthusiast is quality Vanilla. Vanilla paste is a thicker form of vanilla extract which includes the seeds from the vanilla pod. Another alternative to vanilla extract is vanilla powder, which is made by grinding vanilla beans. Vanilla powder is more potent than extract and does not contain alcohol which allows it to be added to warm drinks, like coffee and tea, without evaporating (perhaps a coffee lover themed gift is the way to go?) Whichever vanilla you choose, it's sure to be a hit!
Classic Vanilla Bean Shortbread
Ingredients
3 ½ cups (16 oz) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (5 ½ oz) berry sugar
1 3/8 cups (11 oz) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
½ cup (3 ½ oz) sugar, for finishing
Instructions
Position oven racks in upper and lower third of oven. Preheat to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
In large bowl, sift together flour and ¾ cup sugar. Cut butter into 1” chunks and add to flour. Measure in vanilla bean paste. Use fingers, pastry blender or mixer (fitted with paddles) on low, and blend just until mixture forms a dough.
Transfer to a lightly floured counter and press to form ball. Roll out to 3/8” to 1/2” thick. Rotate dough as you go to make sure it isn't sticking. If it is, sprinkle a bit more flour over the counter. Use 1-1/2” to 2” cookie cutter to cut shapes. Use offset spatula to transfer to prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 15 minutes. Rotate pans top to bottom as well as front to back. Bake another 10 minutes or until golden around the edges. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with extra sugar. Allow to cool and store airtight. Keeps well.
