December 8, 2005
IT'S A SIN TO CRUSH A SHORTBREAD:
Castles, shortbread and whisky (Ethel G. Hofman, 12/08/05, Jewish World Review)
It's time to banish the myth that the signature Scottish dish is the scorned haggis. Glasgow, one of Scotland's largest cities, was recently rated by Conde Nast Traveller, (the bible of the travel industry), as the favorite UK destination for haute cuisine, culinary excellence and friendliness. The awards, which were voted for by readers of the magazine, ranked Glasgow as second in Britain, with only London delivering finer food, sans friendliness! [...]Posted by Orrin Judd at December 8, 2005 12:00 AMCHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD TRUFFLES
These are usually served with coffee after dinner. Confectioners sugar may be substituted for cocoa powder. Store in an airtight container in a cool place, not the refrigerator
Makes 24
* 8 ounces good dark chocolate (eg. Ghirardellis), broken in small pieces.
* 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut in 6 pieces
* 1 1/4 cups finely crushed shortbread
* 1 tablespoon whisky
* 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1/4 teaspoon orange extractMelt the chocolate and butter in the microwave, 1 1/2 minutes on High or until softened. Mix until thoroughly blended. Stir in whisky and orange extract. Add the shortbread crumbs. Mix well. Chill to firm up.
Shape heaping teaspoonfuls into balls. Roll in cocoa powder. Chill. Serve at room temperature.
OJ:
Wholeheartedly agree. An excellent shortbread cookie (not Lorne Doones!) is a sublime thing indeed.
Truffles are not as easy to make as they appear. It takes a fair amount of skill to roll one before it starts to melt in your hands because the melting point of chocolate is below your body temperature.
Posted by: Rick T. at December 8, 2005 9:08 AMThe "cold hands, warm heart" folks should do okay then.
Posted by: Phil at December 8, 2005 9:50 AMGlasgow, one of Scotland's largest cities, was recently rated by Conde Nast Traveller, (the bible of the travel industry), as the favorite UK destination for haute cuisine, culinary excellence and friendliness
Sure, but Newcastle won all the votes for scenic beauty and opera.
My late Scottish grandmother used to make shortbread without a recipe that was always at the perfect mid-point between a cake and a cookie and simply melted with buttery goodness. Three and only three ingredients. Her daughters and grandaughters all tried many times to duplicate it under her tutelage, and all failed. Now gone forever, which proves the truth of the essential conservative message that civilization is hard won and easily lost.
Know what's even butterier? Just put a pat of butter on your tongue.
Posted by: oj at December 8, 2005 1:04 PMFor the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
Posted by: Carter at December 8, 2005 3:03 PM