Melting Moment

Shortbread cookies give the melting feeling in your mouth! The effect comes from the load of butter incorporate in the recipe! Yes, the butter holds the flour and spices! Is it a cookie version of pound cake recipe? Well, that doesn't matter as long you taste once in a while. Those cookies are simply delectable and delicate the fact they are crumbly! Especially this Savory Spicy Shortbread got my full attention with the use of unusual ingredients: the cayenne pepper, black pepper, turmeric and the curry powder. So what else you need to try out, when you don't dare of spicy stuff! I never own any curry powder; not a standard item in Indian pantry. The yellow powder is sure a mix of turmeric, coriander powder and cumin probably some other spices! I simply replaced with a pinch of coriander powder, cumin and turmeric or just skip in the recipe. The intro for recipe said: great with cocktails, well it is even great with tea! They are terrific and calorific at the same time. Watch out the intake ! The original recipe comes from here: I halved the recipe and substituted the curry powder (with little more turmeric, cumin and coriander powder) even u can use garam masala instead! 

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Yield: about 11 cookies 

Ingredients: 

Butter: 6 tbsp ( at room temperature) 

Sugar: 1 tbsp

Salt: 1 tsp

Curry powder: ½ tsp (can be skipped or add a pinch of cumin/coriander/turmeric powder)

Ground cumin: ¼ tsp

Black pepper freshly ground: ¼ tsp 

Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp

Cayenne or chili powder: ¼ tsp or less (but I spiced up at this level) 

All purpose flour: ½ cup + 2 tbsp

Extra item needed: A large piece of wax paper

  Method:

With a electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 

Add salt, and all the spices, beat until they are well blended. 

Add the flour gradually and beat scrapping the side of bowl. 

Once they are well incorporated. Turn out the dough in wax paper. 

Make a 6 inch long and 2 inch of diam log. (if u find the dough melt in your hand. 

Keep 15 min or more in fridge and form the log. Refrigerate for 1 hour to 2 days. I refrigerated overnight! 

 Preheat the oven at 325 F and position the rack in middle of the oven. Cut the dough into ¼ in- thick slices. Place slices at least ½ in- apart. Bake for about 12 min. Cool on wire rack. 

  Note: Generally, the temp of oven should be in low to succeed the white color for shortbread. But this one is yellow due to turmeric.

 Really give little attention while transferring on wire rack! One of my shortbread slipped and went into hundred of crumb! They are fragile!

 I am sending this Savory spiced Shortbread to Meeta’s Monthly Mingle being entertained by Aparna with the theme of High Tea Treats