Crystallized ginger shortbread

A delicious not-too-sweet treat!

I adore the flavour of ginger and use it often in both cooking and baking. Crystallized ginger – discs of the root which have been cooked in sugar syrup then dried and coated in sugar – has a really subtle flavour that makes it a perfect add-in for shortbread without overwhelming these squares. Note that it is not quite the same as candied ginger which traditionally comes in syrup rather than being dried. Cutting the panful of shortbread into triangles makes them look more festive, in my opinion, and you can make the shapes as large or small as you wish. These tasty treats would make a delightful holiday or hostess gift, and they freeze well as a bonus.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (227g) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup (149g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 2/3 cup (125g/4.4 oz) minced crystallized ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/3 cups (280g) all-purpose flour

Method

• Preheat the oven to 325F. Line a 9×13 inch (22.5 x 32.5 cm) baking pan with parchment paper (leaving some hanging over on all four sides) and set aside.
• With a very sharp knife, finely mince the ginger. You can also use a box grater for this task, if you prefer (just watch those knuckles and fingertips). Measure it after you’ve minced it to be sure you’ve got 2/3 cup.
• In a mixing bowl (use a stand mixer if you have one), beat together the butter, salt and sugar until smooth. Add the finely minced ginger and vanilla; beat again until smooth.
• Add the flour and beat until well combined.
• Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and use your hands or a spatula to press it down in an even layer.
• With the tines of a fork, prick the dough all over; this action, called docking, prevents the dough from puffing up or forming bubbles as it bakes.
• Bake until uniformly golden brown; about 28-32 minutes then remove pan from oven.
• Wait only 5 minutes (it will be hard to cut if you wait longer) then carefully lift the shortbread out of the pan using the edges of the parchment paper. Place on a cutting board and use a pizza cutter or sharp big knife to cut the shortbread into o 24 squares (6×4 rows) then cut each square in half on the diagonal. Alternatively, you can cut the shortbread into bars or smaller squares.
• Let the cut shortbread cool completely then serve. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week or frozen for longer storage.

Makes 48 triangular cookies.