In Anna Olson’s latest cookbook, Anna Cooks, Canada’s culinary darling shares some of her expert knowledge about a few of the primary baking ingredients she stocks her pantry with. We excerpted the ones she uses in this Stracciatella Shortbread recipe.
Recipe ingredients
CHOCOLATE: Semisweet baking chocolate (also known as couverture chocolate) comes in squares and chip form (different from chocolate chips for cookies), so it doesn’t require chopping before melting.
FLOUR: All-purpose flour is the only wheat flour called for in this book, and I tend to buy unbleached flour.
LEAVENER: Baking powder keeps until its expiry date about 18 months), but baking soda is best replaced every 3 months for peak leavening power.
BUTTER: Try to use unsalted when baking so that you remain in charge of the salt.
SUGARS: Icing sugar has been finely ground and has about 2% cornstarch added to it to prevent clumping.
VANILLA: I favour pure vanilla extract, and being sensitive to its cost these days, I try to use as little as needed without compromising taste. I look to flavourings like lemon zest and cinnamon.
Anna Olson's Stracciatella Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- ½ cup icing sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla-bean paste
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup potato starch
- ¼ tsp fine salt
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F and line two baking trays with parchment paper.
- Using electric beaters or stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, whip butter on its own on medium-high speed until fluffy. Add icing sugar and beat in, starting on low and then increasing to medium-high, until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Add flour, potato starch and salt and blend on low speed until dough comes together. Stir in mini chocolate chips.
- Use small mechanical scoop to portion cookies; if scoop is larger than size of cookie you want (just larger than a toonie), scoop dough and then cut each portion in half. Roll each cookie portion into a ball between the palms of your hands and place on baking tray, leaving 1½ in (4 cm) between them. Use fork dipped in flour to press each cookie down (or use a cookie stamp, if you have one).
- Bake cookies for about 30 minutes. They will show a touch of light browning on the bottom but should not be brown otherwise. Cool cookies on their trays on racks before packing in airtight container.
Notes
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