In my experience the best Christmas shortbread recipe, ever, is the one I’ve dubbed Lickety-Split Shortbread. It was first introduced to me and the baking public, in the Toronto Star, some 20 years ago.
It appeared in Mary McGrath’s daily recipe column. To this day thousands of Ontario women have Mary’s recipes plastered on their fridges, even though Mary retired from the Star’s test kitchen in 2000.The recipe, in question, made its debut as Sigrid’s Favorite Whipped Shortbread. Mary gleaned it from Sigrid McFarland who worked, at the Star, in the publisher’s office. According to Mary, during her decades at the newspaper, Sigrid’s shortbread was the recipe, most requested by readers.
Getting down to the nitty-gritty, two factors make these seasonal cookies the best. Number one: you can make them lickety-split. No rolling out, no pressing into pans and no cookie cutters needed. Number two: they are heavenly, on the tongue. Over the past 20 I’ve tweaked the original version, somewhat, so that I end up with a drop cookie, topped by a cheery red or green cherry. This makes this shortbread look pretty and with this bit of colour, they add a festive note to a plate of Christmas baked goods.
Recently, Mary (with help of a few volunteers) donated her time to produce a cookbook, featuring the best soup recipes she had savoured, during her long career, as a recipe guru. This cookbook, called Soups’ On!, features 75 recipes – 64 for a variety of soups and 11 for quick breads.
Mary describes the soup as ranging from hot and comforting offerings, for the winter, to chilled and refreshing recipes, for the summer months. Mary is particularly excited about a Flank Steak and Hoisin Soup that originated, at a soup stall, in Toronto’s St. Lawrence Market. “It’s quite sophisticated and hearty enough to serve as an exotic main course,” she says.
Soups’ On! , by Mary McGrath, will be available, from the Toronto Star’s online store, at www.starstore.ca. The cost is $10 and every penny goes to the Star’s annual charities, the Fresh Air Fund and the Santa Claus Fund. Both benefit needy children.
Lickety-Split Shortbread
2 cups butter (softened)
1 cup icing sugar
½ cup cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans or chocolate chips (optional)
Green and red glace cherry pieces for decoration.
Method
Preheat oven to 325F
In a bowl, cream together butter and icing sugar until fluffy. Beat in cornstarch and vanilla.
Gradually beat in flour and continue beating until batter is light. Fold in nuts or chocolate chips.
Drop dough by tablespoons onto greased cookie sheets. Top each blob with a piece of green or red cherry. Bake for 20 minutes or until edges are golden.
Cool for, at least ten minutes, on cookie sheet. With metal spatula transfer to rack to cool completely. Store in airtight containers with waxed paper between layers.
Makes about 4 dozen.
