Recipe: Scottish Ginger Shortbread Cookies and Chocolate Ginger Shortbread for Elizabeth (not exactly the same)

Scottish Ginger Shortbread
Source: Challenge Dairy Products
Servings: 16

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup rice flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 cup (1 stick)
butter, cut into 1/2 pieces
1 Tbsp. minced crystallized ginger

Combine flour, rice flour, sugar, ground ginger and butter pieces in food processor bowl with knife blade attachment; process 20 to 30 seconds. (To mix by hand. Combine dry ingredients then cut butter in with a pastry blender or rub butter in with fingers until no large pieces remain.) Particles should resemble coarse crumbs.

Add minced crystallized ginger. Firmly and evenly press mixture into an 8 or 9 inch round cake pan. using the tines of a fork make impressions around the edge of the
dough then prick surface evenly.

Bake at 325 for 40 minutes or until pale brown in color. While still hot, cut with a sharp knife into 16 wedges and if desired, sprinkle the surface lightly with a teaspoon of sugar. Leave in the pan to cool, then lift from pan and store in airtight container. Makes 16.

Note: Omit ginger for simple, more traditional Scottish shortbread. For less traditional appearance, bake in 8" square baking dish and cut into 36 cookies squares for serving.

Chocolate Ginger Shortbread

2 ounces bittersweet chocolates, chopped
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup instant dissolving sugar (also known as fruit/berry sugar or superfine sugar)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 pinch salt
1 cup chopped crystallized ginger

Preheat oven to 300 F. In heatproof bowl over saucepan of hot (not boiling) water, melt chocolate, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool. Meanwhile, in bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy. Stir in chocolate and vanilla. Add flour and salt; stir until blended. Mix in chopped crystallized ginger. Divide into 4 equal parts and chill 2 hours or until firm. Turn onto lightly floured work surface and roll out to 1/4" thickness. Cut with cookie cutters and place cookies on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake 30 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool for 2 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.