Several weeks ago, I got an e-mail alert about a great new tea item from my tea friend ParTea Lady (whom, BTW, I had the honor of meeting face-to-face on Saturday when she came to our quilt shop here in Newnan!). She directed me to the King Arthur Flour web site and this Brown Bag Shortbread Pan, which I soon ordered. And the recipe really couldn't be any simpler: Cream 1 stick of butter. Add 1/3 cup confectioners sugar. Add 1/4 teaspoon vanilla. Add 1 cup all-purpose flour and combine til the dough is nice and smooth. You place the dough directly into the pan (sprayed with cooking spray), and about 30 minutes later, you have delicious shortbread cooling in the pan.
After 10 minutes of cooling, you turn the shortbread out onto another surface and cut it along the scored lines while it's still warm. I've made three pans of it so far (1 to share, 1 to eat, 1 just to experiment with), and I've been quite happy with the results. I added a few minutes to the baking time, so now it comes out with a slightly crispy crust, and I love it.
You can actually find these pans from a variety of sources (King Arthur Flour, Amazon, Shortbreadpan.com, eBay), so you may want to check around to get the best deal on the pan and shipping combined. I saved a few dollars by ordering mine on eBay, but the seller has since raised prices, so I would simply advise checking around if you plan to order. Oh, and mine cleaned up beautifully in some hot soapy water. It was a fun way to spend part of the weekend that we *finally* got a Snow Day here in Georgia! (But it had to be on a Sunday, sigh ...)
I have a curiosity question. . . Did you make all three batches at one time, or did you do all three at one mixing, although one was for experiment? Or did you do the experiment, then do a double batch?
ReplyDeletewhat a fun pan and easy recipe! i looked on the king arthur site and they had one of these pans in a cool celtic knot also! so wonderful you got to meet your friend face to face also! thanks for sharing angela! hugs:)
ReplyDeleteAdorable shortbread pan! Glad you got your snow, but hopefully it will melt quickly.
ReplyDeleteLove the pan! Wish I had been with you to meet parTea lady. So glad you finally got to meet each other.
ReplyDeleteRegarding snow-I took so many pictures and baked all day too (except for the 2 hours we were without power.)
That shortbread pan does give a nice result. Lovely for teatime. One of these days I'm going to order some culinary lavender, so I can make the lavender shortbread that I saw in one of my tea magazines.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, ladies, it was great fun to finally meet Angela face to face. I hope that many of you will also have that pleasure.
Oh Angela, I am feelin the nudge to do a tea for some friends and daughters!!! Seeing this pan today fairly makes me heart quicken at the idea :-)!!! It is great...btw we have loved this beautiful snow. So exciting for us!!! Thanks for sharin the pan with us.tammyp
ReplyDeleteGwendol, I made all three batches of dough separately, simply because I'm not that good at "dividing up" dough once I have it in the bowl. My layer cakes never seem to be *exactly* even!
ReplyDeleteTeresa, ParTea Lady is coming back in April, and this time I'm crashing the (quilting) party and will be joining her and her friends, if you want to come meet her then.
And Tammy P, I look forward to hearing about your tea party!
OK, I have a baker friend that must have this. Very, very cool! I have a shortbread pan that I love, but it's not this cool. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe I haven't noticed that pan in the King Arthur catalog. I read that catalog like some people read magazines. LOL Maybe they will offer a shipping savings soon.
ReplyDeleteHave you seen the KAF tea bread pan? It makes "dainty" slices of bread. I own it and love it. So does my Nana.
Thanks for sharing.
PS, when you make layer cakes weigh each pan to make sure the batter is even. I learned that from reading a KAF cake recipe.
I LOVE that tea loaf pan, Ginger! I'm always cutting a regular slice in two (from the 9 x 5 pan), so a thin slice from this would be perfect. Thanks! And for the advice about weighing the batter, too. I wouldn't have thought of that, and yet it's so simple!
ReplyDeleteOh I am so jealous! I know I shouldn't be coveting that shortbread mold but I AM!! This is just lovely! The recipe sounds like it makes a nice small serving to because I'd likely eat the whole thing! All that buttery goodness!
ReplyDeleteWOW!!! Weighing the batter...recently I broke a scale that I had for almost 30 years...there are so many new-fangled ones...which ones work right and are resonably priced??? I always did dry ingredients, never thought of the batter!!!
ReplyDeleteOhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, a tea blog with a Welbeck teapot in the banner!!!! I shall return!
ReplyDeleteM ^..^
First of all, I have to smile at the Welbeck comment. I *adore* the Welbeck pattern. If I ever win the lottery, I'm going on a search for a vintage Welbeck breakfast set. Now, about this shortbread mold - A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E. I had a shortbread mold many years ago, don't know what happened to it. I love this one. Now that I'm no longer a working woman (temporarily, hopefully) I've been cooking and baking again ... and loving it.
ReplyDeleteAngela-
ReplyDeleteI love this pan! Great design and thanks for sharing, Joanie
Angela...you are going to laugh. I accidentally found one of my xmas presents from hubby....I will be joining you as a proud owner of this shortbread mold soon! HAAAA!
ReplyDeleteThis is actually an Emerson Creek shortbread pan. I bought one today at their main outlet in Bedford, VA and I just got my pan out of the oven. :)
ReplyDelete