Which, in my opinion, must be just as good as Ted Lasso's.
If you know me well, you probably know that I'm a big Ted Lasso fan. That TV show brought me so much joy in the midst of a global pandemic that was quite the opposite of joyful. A small narrative thread that's woven throughout the episodes is a shortbread cookie that Ted brings to his boss every morning and is supposedly irresistibly good, and every time I watch her eat a box on screen, I find myself craving some shortbread myself.
So in celebration of Season 2 starting today, here's a simple shortbread recipe! It's only got three ingredients: flour, butter, sugar. You can't go wrong with those.
Simple Shortbread
Makes approximately 24 cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup salted butter, cubed and softened
1/2 sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
Key Supplies: square baking dish, mixing bowl, hand mixer or stand mixer, flour sifter, bench scraper
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a mixing bowl, mix together the softened butter and sugar on medium high speed until fluffy.
Mix in flour just until completely incorporated, preferably using a flour sifter to ensure even distribution. You should end up with a crumbly looking soft dough (photo below)
Press the dough evenly into a square baking pan. No need to grease the pan.
Bake for 25 minutes, then remove from oven briefly to cut into bars using a bench scraper or thin knife (I do a 3x8 grid). You can also use a skewer or fork to poke some holes in the top, if preferred (but not required).
Place back in the oven and bake for 10-15 more minutes, until golden. The baking time may vary a bit depending on if you use a 9x9 or 8x8 inch pan, the type of pan, and your oven's temperature variance, so keep and eye on it.
Cool completely before removing from pan and enjoying!
Notes:
Unlike most cookies, these really should cool completely before you eat them. And arguably get better with longer rest time. They be stored at room temperature in a tightly sealed container for at least two weeks, and keep well in the freezer as well.
You can also bake as individually shaped cookies by chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes, and then rolling it into a log and slicing it, or rolling it out and using cookie cutters or a knife. The baking temperature would need to be adjusted to 350 degrees, and then bake for about 14-16 minutes or until starting to turn golden.
You can get creative with adding flavorings, like vanilla, lemon zest, cardamom, chocolate bits, earl grey tea. Or dipping in chocolate or adding a glaze!
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