Currant-Ginger Shortbread

Creaming butter correctly, keeping butter doughs cold, and starting with fresh, good-tasting butter are vital details that professionals take for granted, and home bakers often miss.

For mixing and creaming, butter should be about 65 degrees: cold to the touch but warm enough to spread. Just three degrees warmer, at 68 degrees, it begins to melt.

Ingredients

• 4 ounces (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, more for flouring paper
• Pinch of fine salt
• ⅓ cup dried currants (see note)
• 1 packed tablespoon finely diced crystallized ginger.

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (48 servings)

    35 calories; 1 gram fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 0 grams protein; 5 milligrams cholesterol; 6 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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About 4 dozen cookies.

Preparation

1. In a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar at medium speed until light and smooth, about 3 minutes. Add flour, salt, currants and ginger, and mix until well blended, about 3 minutes. Gather dough into a ball and flatten slightly.
2. Lightly flour a piece of parchment paper (or use nonstick baking mat). Place dough on paper or mat and roll out into a 10-inch square, an even 1/4-inch thick. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
3. Position an oven rack in center of oven. Heat to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Using a sharp knife, cut dough into 10 1-inch-wide strips (if using mat, remove dough to a cutting surface first). Cut each strip into 1 1/2-inch-long rectangles. Gather and roll out scraps and cut out more cookies. (Triangles or cookie cutter shapes can be made as an alternative to rectangles.)
4. One sheet at a time, bake until edges are lightly golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack and cool completely before storing in airtight containers up to 1 week.

• If currants are very dry, steam for 10 minutes.