Lemon Shortbread

11/6/2015

Rainy days are the name of the game here lately. I think it's rained every single day for the last two weeks. My coping technique for rainy weather - afternoon tea. AND since it just wouldn't be proper to have afternoon tea without a little something sweet - I have a cookie too.

A flaky and buttery shortbread cookie is the perfect compliment to a cup a of afternoon tea. (Now if I only took the time to sit down so I could enjoy my shortbread and tea.)

Shortbread cookies are surprisingly easy to make and they are really yummy. I chose to make mini shortbread instead of one large --- mostly so that I wouldn't eat the entire thing in one sitting.

Lemon Shortbread
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
14 Tablespoons butter, cold, sliced into 1/8" thick slices
1 Tablespoon lemon zest

Pulse oats in food processor until ground to a fine powder.

In bowl of standing mixer, combine oat flour, flour, cornstarch, sugar , lemon zest and salt.

Add butter to mixer and mix on low until just combined and dough comes together.

Divide dough into 8 equal pieces.

Place springform pan collars (groove side up) on a silpat lined baking sheet. Press dough into collars in even 1/2 inch thick layer.

Open springform collar but leave in place. Bake shortbread 5 minutes at 450. Reduce heat to 250 and bake 10-15 minutes longer.

Turn oven off. Remove springform collar.

Use chef's knife to score surface of shortbread into 6 equal pieces, cutting halfway through shortbread.

Use a wooden skewer to poke 8-10 holes in each wedge.

Return shortbread to oven and prop door open with handle of a wooden spoon. Allow shortbread to dry in turned off oven for an hour. Transfer to wire racks to cool at least 2 hours.