When I find myself with an excess of herbs or small pieces of several types of cheeses in the refrigerator, this is the recipe I reach for. These Savory Shortbreads are delicious and perfect for a holiday celebration, charcuterie board, or an afternoon snack.
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Savory Shortbreads
Ingredients
- 1 cup (8 ounces) butter
- 2 ¾ cups (330 grams) All-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (30 grams) cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried herbs
- ¾ cup (2 ounces) finely grated cheese
Instructions
- In a small pan on the stove or in the microwave, melt the butter. As the butter melts, add the remaining ingredients to a large mixing bowl. When the butter is melted, add it to the mixing bowl and stir to combine. The dough will be a bit crumbly with the appearance of pie crust.
- These shortbreads are slice and bakes, so the dough will be formed into a cylinder and chilled until firm. I like to make a cylinder that is between 1 ½ to 2 inches in diameter. The diameter of the shortbreads doesn’t affect the baking time. The thickness of the dough is much more important to their final structure and texture, so you can shape them to your liking. Because this dough doesn’t contain eggs or chemical leavening agents, it doesn’t expand much when baking, so create a cylinder of dough the size you desire your baked shortbreads to be.
- Transfer the soft shortbread dough to a large sheet of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Form the dough into a cylindrical log and enclose the dough in the plastic wrap or parchment. Transfer the cylinder of dough to the refrigerator for at least two hours or to the freezer for at least 30 minutes to chill fully. Rotating the cylinder while it chills will help to prevent a flat edge from forming on the dough.
- When you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for a standard oven or 325 degrees Fahrenheit for a convection oven. Line your baking sheets with a sheet of parchment paper or a reusable silicone baking sheet liner.
- Use a sharp knife to cut ¼ – ½ inch thick slices of dough. Arrange the slices on the prepared baking sheet, allowing about an inch of space between them. Transfer the baking sheets to the preheated oven.
- Bake the shortbreads in the preheated oven for 12 – 14 minutes. I find that they are perfectly baked in my oven in 12 minutes. If you prefer your shortbreads to be lightly toasted, you can bake them a few minutes longer. Frozen dough may need an extra minute or two to fully bake. Remove the baking sheets from the oven to a wire rack to cool for at least 10 minutes. These shortbreads are quite soft while warm, but they will set up as they cool.
- Once the shortbreads have cooled completely, move them to an airtight container for storage at room temperature for a week or in the refrigerator for two weeks.
Notes
In my opinion, the best type of cheese for this recipe is whatever you happen to have on hand. I use whatever small pieces I happen to have lingering in the refrigerator, mixing them together in the dough. From aged Parmesan and pecorino to gouda, Swiss, and smoked cheddar, I have found that if you like the cheese, you’ll love the flavor it adds to these shortbreads. HERBS
You can use whatever sort of herbs you like or omit the herbs entirely if you prefer. I like to use Herbes de Provence or a mixture of thyme, rosemary, oregano, and sage. I have also made batches with a single herb with equally delicious results. If you have fresh herbs on hand, they can be substituted. Mince the fresh herbs finely and double the quantity to two tablespoons as fresh herbs are less potent than dried herbs. CHILLING THE DOUGH I
will readily admit that I am not a naturally patient baker. Once I start making a recipe, I want to see it through to the end and the taste testing. Yet giving a dough the proper time to chill matters, especially in a recipe like this one that has such a high concentration of butter. I often chill this dough in the freezer. Because it is shaped into a cylinder, it is easy to fit the entire batch in the freezer. Frozen dough will be ready to bake after 30 – 45 minutes in the freezer. If the frozen cylinder proves to be difficult to slice, allow it to rest at room temperature for 5 – 10 minutes before slicing.
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Savory Shortbreads
1840 Farm
www.1840farm.com
When I find myself with an excess of herbs or small pieces of several types of cheeses in the refrigerator, this is the recipe I reach for. These Savory Shortbreads are delicious and perfect for a holiday celebration, charcuterie board, or an afternoon snack.
Makes: 30 shortbreads
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Chilling Time: 120 minutes
Baking Time: 12 – 14 minutes
Cooling Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours
Ingredients
1 cup (8 ounces) butter
2 ¾ cups (330 grams) All-purpose flour
¼ cup (30 grams) cornstarch
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried herbs
¾ cup (2 ounces) finely grated cheese
Instructions
In a small pan on the stove or in the microwave, melt the butter. As the butter melts, add the remaining ingredients to a large mixing bowl. When the butter is melted, add it to the mixing bowl and stir to combine. The dough will be a bit crumbly with the appearance of pie crust.
These shortbreads are slice and bakes, so the dough will be formed into a cylinder and chilled until firm. I like to make a cylinder that is between 1 ½ to 2 inches in diameter. The diameter of the shortbreads doesn’t affect the baking time. The thickness of the dough is much more important to their final structure and texture, so you can shape them to your liking. Because this dough doesn’t contain eggs or chemical leavening agents, it doesn’t expand much when baking, so create a cylinder of dough the size you desire your baked shortbreads to be.
Transfer the soft shortbread dough to a large sheet of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Form the dough into a cylindrical log and enclose the dough in the plastic wrap or parchment. Transfer the cylinder of dough to the refrigerator for at least two hours or to the freezer for at least 30 minutes to chill fully. Rotating the cylinder while it chills will help to prevent a flat edge from forming on the dough.
When you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for a standard oven or 325 degrees Fahrenheit for a convection oven. Line your baking sheets with a sheet of parchment paper or a reusable silicone baking sheet liner.
Use a sharp knife to cut ¼ – ½ inch thick slices of dough. Arrange the slices on the prepared baking sheet, allowing about an inch of space between them. Transfer the baking sheets to the preheated oven.
Bake the shortbreads in the preheated oven for 12 – 14 minutes. I find that they are perfectly baked in my oven in 12 minutes. If you prefer your shortbreads to be lightly toasted, you can bake them a few minutes longer. Frozen dough may need an extra minute or two to fully bake. Remove the baking sheets from the oven to a wire rack to cool for at least 10 minutes. These shortbreads are quite soft while warm, but they will set up as they cool.
Once the shortbreads have cooled completely, move them to an airtight container for storage at room temperature for a week or in the refrigerator for two weeks.
A Few Notes
about this Recipe
The Best Type of Cheese
In my opinion, the best type of cheese for this recipe is whatever you happen to have on hand. I use whatever small pieces I happen to have lingering in the refrigerator, mixing them together in the dough.
From aged Parmesan and pecorino to gouda, Swiss, and smoked cheddar, I have found that if you like the cheese, you’ll love the flavor it adds to these shortbreads.
Herbs
You can use whatever sort of herbs you like or omit the herbs entirely if you prefer. I like to use Herbes de Provence or a mixture of thyme, rosemary, oregano, and sage. I have also made batches with a single herb with equally delicious results.
If you have fresh herbs on hand, they can be substituted. Mince the fresh herbs finely and double the quantity to two tablespoons as fresh herbs are less potent than dried herbs.
Chilling the Dough
I will readily admit that I am not a naturally patient baker. Once I start making a recipe, I want to see it through to the end and the taste testing. Yet giving a dough the proper time to chill matters, especially in a recipe like this one that has such a high concentration of butter.
I often chill this dough in the freezer. Because it is shaped into a cylinder, it is easy to fit the entire batch in the freezer. Frozen dough will be ready to bake after 30 – 45 minutes in the freezer. If the frozen cylinder proves to be difficult to slice, allow it to rest at room temperature for 5 – 10 minutes before slicing.
You can learn more about the ingredients and equipment used to create this recipe in the farmhouse kitchen by visiting:
www.amazon.com/shop/1840farm
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