This is actually two recipes in one; the first is a professional version that was handed down to the pastry apprentices by our Master Baker Instructor Chef Mark Fitch. Mark was trained early at the age of 12 as a baker and worked through several hotels as Chef Patissier in the U. K., before making his move to the U.S., and is now he is a Master Chef and principal technologist for food service product development with Pepperidge Farm.
All ingredients are given in weight measure for these recipes, but you will find many of the traditional Scottish Short Bread recipes following a 4:2:1 ratio consisting of four parts flour, two parts butter, and one part sugar, there are many variations but this is the basic formula.
Professional Version
| Ingredients | ||
| 1 ½ | Lb. | Butter |
| 4 | Oz. | Castor sugar (fine granulated) |
| 4 | Oz. | Powdered sugar |
| 2 | Lb. | Pastry flour |
| Procedure Steps | |
| 1. | Cream the butter and sugar together until soft using the whip attachment on the mixer |
| 2. | Fold in the flour using the paddle attachment on the mixer |
| 3. | Mold into shapes on sheet pans |
| 4. | Bake at 440° F oven until done |
Home Version
| Ingredients | ||
| 10 | Oz | Butter |
| 2 | Oz. | Superfine granulated sugar |
| 2 | Oz. | Powdered sugar |
| 1 | Lb. | All Purpose Flour |
| Procedure Steps | |
| 1. | Soften the butter and then cream together with the sugars using the whip attachment of a mixer |
| 2. | Using a paddle attachment fold in the flour until well incorporated |
| 3. | Roll out the dough into ¼” thick and then mold or cut into shapes then transfer to baking sheet pans. The dough can be decorated with the tines of a fork or other tools to create designs before baking |
| 4. | Bake at 350° F oven for 20 minutes, then rotate pans for even baking and continue to bake until done, or about another 15 minutes |
27 responses so far ↓
1 ninni // Dec 21, 2009 at 6:05 pm
you are reading my mind,i am just on my way to post about traditional Christmas bread.
I like to bake bread,all kinds of bread!This must be really good one,ty for post it for us!
2 Gera @ SweetsFoods // Dec 21, 2009 at 6:24 pm
What a splendid recipes!! I adore this traditional Scottish bread, 2 versions but the same tasty result.
Thanks for sharing them 🙂
Cheers,
Gera
3 pegasuslegend // Dec 21, 2009 at 7:13 pm
I absolutely adore scottish shortbread , have never had the recipe I can’t wait to try it, even have the wooden molds to make the impressions…this is a must try soon as I am off!
4 OC2Seattle // Dec 21, 2009 at 7:18 pm
My husband will love these! Thanks so much!
5 Liz Marr, MS, RD // Dec 21, 2009 at 7:50 pm
Lovely! Shortbread, that is.
6 Ingeborg // Dec 21, 2009 at 9:08 pm
My husband loves Scottish Shortbread (being from Glasgow). These look very nice indeed.
7 Natasha - 5 Star Foodie // Dec 21, 2009 at 9:51 pm
Scottish shortbread is wonderful, thanks so much for an excellent recipe!
8 Jessie // Dec 21, 2009 at 10:02 pm
I love short breads, they are perfect for dipping into hot cocoa
9 penny aka jeroxie // Dec 22, 2009 at 5:51 am
Oh! I like the home version… heh. Simple enough for a non baker like me.
10 Dana Max // Dec 22, 2009 at 6:00 am
Cool recipes! I have to try both of them!
11 Shirley // Dec 22, 2009 at 6:21 am
I have a soft corner for shortbread having lived in Scotland for a while. This feels nostalgic!
12 MaryMoh // Dec 22, 2009 at 8:16 am
I discovered the beauty of Scottish shortbread when I landed here…absolutely delicious. I even bought special moulds of thistle flowers. Haven’t tried them yet. Will do so one of these days.
13 Emily // Dec 22, 2009 at 9:36 am
oh man! This is now on my must try list!
14 Drick // Dec 22, 2009 at 9:44 am
shortbread dough is so versatile, I use this basic dough for making things, not just cookies….great base for many desserts…
15 Tina Marie // Dec 22, 2009 at 10:30 am
Those are beautiful! Thanks for posting those recipes – just in time for our Christmas eve snacking.
16 Trix // Dec 22, 2009 at 10:45 am
I love shortbread, I try to not look at the butter content though!! Thanks for this recipe!
17 My Man's Belly // Dec 22, 2009 at 7:37 pm
Scottish shortbread is my favorite cookie – hands down. Whenever I fly through London Heathrow, I pocket lots of packages of the Walkers in the lounge. I guess I should just make my own and it would taste even better.
18 Shelly @ Experimental Culinary Pursuits // Dec 22, 2009 at 10:16 pm
I just came back from Edinburgh a couple weeks ago and had some tasty Scottish shortbread there, so you can only imagine my joy to see this recipe!
19 Kelly // Dec 23, 2009 at 1:59 pm
I love any shortbread cookie! I am trying to learn more about ratios to improve my baking and am reading Ratio by Michael Ruhlman–so the ratio directions made sense to me!
20 wasabi prime // Dec 23, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Butter, butter, and more butter. What could be wrong with that? 🙂
21 Vegetable Matter // Dec 23, 2009 at 2:50 pm
Thanks for the ratio — great way to scale up/down the recipe. Since it’s Scottish shortbread, which we love, we’re going in the up direction with your recipe. Happy Christmas, Ryan! Robin
22 Mathea // Dec 23, 2009 at 4:37 pm
I like the added tip about rotating the pan during baking – good, fresh shortbread can’t be beat!
23 bernie kasper // Dec 23, 2009 at 5:50 pm
What a wonderful recipe, my wife is going to give it a try !!
24 Arlene // Dec 27, 2009 at 9:46 am
Great recipes. I adore shortbread.
25 Cheah // Jan 5, 2010 at 1:04 pm
Think my son would like this. He’s finished the shortbread by Arnott’s brought back from Melbourne by his sis.
26 Chef Mark Fitch CMB // Feb 4, 2010 at 5:47 pm
Take out 4 oz of pastry flour and replace it with roasted ground nut flour and you will never go back!
The best is Hazelnut, but make sure you try the nuts before buying, a lot of the hazel nuts in this country are rancid, or just plain poor quality.
And for those adventurous ones out there, try just a tiny bit of curry powder, just as a background note.
Nice job Ryan, like the site..
27 Ryan Boudreaux // Feb 4, 2010 at 6:17 pm
@Chef Mark,
Wow! I am so happy and excited to get a comment on my blog from you today! It has been a long time sir.
I will have to try the Hazelnut flour and curry additions as you mention.
Seems like just yesterday that I was an apprentice and you were my culinary instructor back in ole New Orleans.