Tuesday with Dorie
I have only made shortbread a few times, but this week's Hungarian Shortbread by contributing baker, Gale Gand, is more like a bar cookie to me. A very delicious bar cookie. Thank you to Cher from the not so exciting adventures of a dabbler... and Lynette of 1smallkitchen for hosting this week's recipe. You can also find the recipe on their posts.
What makes this shortbread more like a bar cookie is that there is a layer of jam between two buttery cookie layers. Included in the recipe is a recipe for homemade rhubarb jam that was simple to make. I decided to make half the shortbread recipe, so I also made half the jam. The half vanilla bean and sugar takes away the tartness of the rhubarb. The dough was also easy to make, but what was interesting is that you separate the dough into two balls and freeze it, then grate it. My arm really got a workout grating the dough, but it was worth the extra effort. I read that some of the bakers used a food processor which I think is a great idea, but I must confess that I was too lazy to get it out and I also didn't want to wash another appliance.
I wasn't sure how you could spread the jam on the bottom layer of grated dough, so when I read the Ps and Qs for this recipe some of the other bakers pre-baked the bottom layer and I thought this would also make it easier to spread the jam. I baked the bottom layer for 15 minutes and let it cool before spreading the jam in a thin layer and then grating the second ball of dough for the top layer. I reserved some of the jam and piped it on top because I knew that my husband wouldn't care for the confectioner's sugar coating that the recipe suggests.
Since I had pre-baked the bottom layer, I put the pyrex dish on a baking sheet so that the bottom layer would not get over-baked and I baked the shortbread for another 35 minutes until the top was golden.
The end result was a delicious, buttery layered cookie with a delicate jam filling. This was a hit at our house and another keeper recipe. Follow the links over at Tuesdays with Dorie to see what the rest of the baker's thought about this shortbread.
wow.. you could make the rhubarb jam.. unfortunately just not available here..Thank god for the P&Q section.. it really does help with the recipe!!
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos and a great idea to put a layer of jam on top of the second layer of grated dough. - there are quite a few people who do not enjoy a very generous dusting of confectioner' s sugar on top of baked goods. Looks wonderful and delicious! Nice post, Elaine!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the rest of the week!
Wow! Your shortcake looks delicious... I'm definitely going to make it again.
ReplyDeleteI loved it, and though I'd reduced the butter by 1/3 it still was great!
Thanks for baking along!
Greetings from Switzerland.
I agree - this was a fabulous bar cookie. Yours looks so good!
ReplyDeleteLove the jam layer piped on top - it makes things so much more visually appealing.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful job - thanks for baking along this week :-) See you Friday!
Wonderful pictures. I like the idea of piping some jam on the top. I love jam and I love shortbread, especially the one from Scotland, but not both in one dish ;-)
ReplyDeleteGreetings from Northern Germany
Ulrike @Küchenlatein
I like the jam on top... I warmed my jam in the microwave and then dropped it on with a spoon and smoothed it over a bit and that worked really well for me actually! : )
ReplyDeleteAlice @ http://acookingmizer.wordpress.com
I love your extra swirl of jam on top--looks classy!
ReplyDeleteThis recipe was fun to make, grating the dough was so much easier than rolling out the dough. Rolling pins and I don't get along.
Beautiful photos--have a great day.
Loved the suggestions here. Will try them next time!! I like the swirly addition as well :D
ReplyDeleteOh man, why didn't I think of that? Rhubarb jam swirl on top is so much more photogenic! Nice. Oh, and that grating nearly did me in too: my wrists and hands are still recovering 3 days later! The day after I made the bars, I got a new food processor for Mothers' Day. Better late than never. Next time I'll suffer through the extra dishes just to appease the carpel-tunnel fairies.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous, Elaine! I think your swirls are the prettiest of all I've seen! Brava, my friend~
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely beautiful…as usual, Elaine! I have never heard of grating dough before…interesting technique! Did you leave the powdered sugar off…I thought of skipping it and will next time. Happy May Day!
ReplyDeleteI'm always too lazy to get out my food processor. But halfway through grating I realized that would have been way easier. Love the piped jam on your shortbread. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteElaine, Thank you for the tip about baking the bottom crust first, before adding the filling. The only thing that wasn't perfect about my shortbread (except for the size -too chunky) was I thought the bottom layer was not baked through enough. By pre-baking it prior to adding the filling and top layer would eliminate that problem for me. I liked that you piped jam on the top. That works for me also. One more time, I loved the pictures of your flowers last week.
ReplyDeleteThis looks absolutely lovely!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful baking! I like the idea of putting more jam on the top...very pretty and looks like that extra flavor would be tasty. My food processor worked really well on the top half, after I froze the dough hard. The bottom half was cold and firm, but gummed up the processor and just about killed it...so grating by hand is probably a good idea. Fun to learn these new techniques...this shortbread did turn out really light and yours is nicely presented.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea to squeeze the filling in! It's so decorative. Great post!
ReplyDeleteJust gorgeous! Adding the jam on top was a great idea - so was baking the bottom layer first.
ReplyDeleteLove the jam on top, this was a hit at my place too!!!
ReplyDeleteThe way you piped the jam on looks great! I doubled the amount of rhubarb jam and wish I had read the pre-baking tip!
ReplyDeleteYou cake looks great with the jam on top. And I totally hear you about not wanting to wash another appliance. I am up to my eyeballs in dishes whenever I start baking and cooking. The biggest downside of doing this.
ReplyDeleteI love your top layer! It's very pretty! It totally reminds me of a cheesecake bar. I'll have to try that next time I make this. There was powdered sugar all over the place! :)
ReplyDeleteawesome ...absolutely inviting cake
ReplyDeletenew to your space..
lovely space you have
happy following you..:)
do stop by mine sometime
Tasty Appetite
I love the swirly jam effect! Lovely!
ReplyDeleteYour shortbread look great even without the confectioners sugar.
ReplyDelete~ Carmen
http://bakingismyzen.wordpress.com/2012/05/01/twd-baking-with-julia-hungarian-shortbread-with-homemade-strawberry-jam/
This shortbread looks great. And I agree with you - sometimes it's way easier to do it by hand than to get out the food processor!
ReplyDeleteThe jam on top is a lovely idea! Next time when I bake this recipe, I will use your idea. I won't be able to resist adding a sprinkle of powdered sugar, though :)
ReplyDeleteWouldn't mind some shortbread which has been so dressed up :D
ReplyDeleteLooks amazing!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
That looks delicious, Elaine. I really need to find time to make this recipe. I like your idea of reserving some of the jam to dress up the top.
ReplyDeleteWe prebaked the bottom as well, since folks who didn't felt it was a little undercooked. I love how beautifully this came together and we were lucky that one of my nieces thought grating the dough was the best part of making them. Great idea to pipe some of the jam on top!
ReplyDeleteThe swirl of rhubarb jam on top is so pretty! I really like that idea, I enjoyed the powdered sugar but it was very sweet.
ReplyDelete