These are those buttery, powdered-sugar-dusted cookies often served alongside langue the chat cookies and other small treats during afternoon tea. The first time I made them, I left out the lemon flavoring, and honestly, they were far too sweet. This recipe comes from the legendary master pastry chef Gino Fabbri.
Piped Shortbread Cookies
- Preparation time: 30 minutes + baking
- Ingredients for 18 large cookies
- Difficulty: Average difficult recipe
- Ingredients
- 210 grams of all-purpose flour
- 65 grams of potato starch
- 75 grams of powdered sugar
- 75 grams of cold milk
- 175 grams of softened butter (at room temperature, with a creamy, spreadable consistency)
- 1 grams of salt
- Vanilla beans and grated lemon zest
- Powdered sugar, as needed
- Instructions
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and powdered sugar.
Add the potato starch the sifted flour, milk, flavorings, and salt and mix until the dough comes together. - Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Transfer the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 15mm star (fluted) tip. Pipe the cookies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, ensuring they are well-spaced.
- Bake for approximately fifteen minutes.
- Once cooled, dust with powdered sugar.
Tips to ensure the success of the dish:
- The butter should be at a temperature of 20–24°C (68–75°F)—creamy but not soft or runny—and should be mixed using the paddle attachment rather than a whisk. This ensures the cookies hold their shape during baking.
- You can use a smaller piping tip; if you do, the baking time will be reduced to twelve minutes.
- The shortbread shouldn’t get too dark—especially since it contains no eggs
