Baking FAIL!!!

[mybadhairlife]

Oh Woe!

I tried to make the following cookies because I love shortbread, these look perfect for hostess and other gifting and I happen to have cacao nibs and sea salt on hand. This was the Toronto Star's Cookie of the Day for December 12.

Comments

[piemancer]

May I suggest this recipe? It never fails. It's been in my family for a long time

[mybadhairlife]

BWAH!

This is where I failed! I was too diligent in NOT getting into my Sauvingnon Blanc in the fridge while I was baking.

[fionnabhair_ii]

I find shit holds together better if the butter is melted, so I flip off any recipe that tells me to go with room temperature. Margarine will work, too, and the only time I might ever leave it at room temperature is if it's non-hydrogenated margarine (seeing as it is very melty when it's not cold, without needing to be nuked in the microwave, first).

May also want to toss an egg substitute in there, too, to help things bind a bit better. I say egg sub instead of egg because I made some chocolate chip cookes not too long go with an egg sub, and thought, "You know, I could make awesome shortbread with this stuff", because the cookie part tasted kinda close to shortbread. The stuff I use was a mix from the grocery store, and it's mostly starch, a little baking soda, and you mix it with water. For something like this, fax meal might work, too, since it's got a bit of a nutty flavour to it, but I haven't actually tried using it in place of egg, before.

[mybadhairlife]

Ma'am, we are going to have to agree to disagree about the way to make shortbread! Melted butter??? Anathema!

The problem, I think, was that the cacao nibs released some cocoa butter which put the proportions off. You need to have the right combo of flour to butter to create that wonderful melty, delicate texture without turning it into crumbs.

Eggs? In shortbread?? Are RIGHT OUT!

/culinary snobbery

[mybadhairlife]

Hee! Actually, the ladies of poker night did enjoy the lacey chocolate wafers. They ate them all up!