Shortbread epitomises everything I try to cut out every now and again in baking - butter, sugar and flour.
I've done a few shortbread recipes now, with small variations like using almonds, coconut, and flavouring up with citrusy ingredients, chocolate and jam, but the three main ingredients remain.
I've always pondered over trying to make a butterless, or a sugarless shortbread, but even with the many butter free and sugar free recipes I've managed to do, I can't bring myself to try this just yet.
With those three core ingredients, I feel like I would instantly take away the shortbread nature of the whole thing, and be left with something quite different. And the texture of that beautifully soft yet crunchy bite of shortbread clearly is not something to be messed with.
What needs to be done then is to simply enjoy them in those times of need for a cheeky treat. So here are 45 chocolate chip shortbread stars for you, in their full shortbread goodness ;-)
Mini Chocolate Chip Stars Makes about 45 stars (2" cutter):
75g white sugar
150g butter, softened
225g plain flour
Juice of half a lemon
Some ice cold water
50g chocolate chips
1) Beat together the sugar and butter in large bowl.
2) Mix in the flour. Squeeze in the lemon juice, and start to bring the mixture together, kneading into a dough. Add a tablespoon of cold water at a time if needed. Wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
3) Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C. Cut the dough in half and roll out one half onto a floured surface.
4) Using a 2" star cutter, stamp out as many stars as you can, then repeat with the other half. I managed about 45 stars in total!
5) Transfer to 2 lined baking trays. Press a few chocolate chips into each star. Bake for about 12 minutes until lightly golden.
They will still be a little soft when you bring them out, but will firm up as they cool, and stay mighty soft to the bite.75g white sugar
150g butter, softened
225g plain flour
Juice of half a lemon
Some ice cold water
50g chocolate chips
1) Beat together the sugar and butter in large bowl.
2) Mix in the flour. Squeeze in the lemon juice, and start to bring the mixture together, kneading into a dough. Add a tablespoon of cold water at a time if needed. Wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
3) Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C. Cut the dough in half and roll out one half onto a floured surface.
4) Using a 2" star cutter, stamp out as many stars as you can, then repeat with the other half. I managed about 45 stars in total!
5) Transfer to 2 lined baking trays. Press a few chocolate chips into each star. Bake for about 12 minutes until lightly golden.
More cookie recipes here!
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