Cardamom-Spiced Shortbread
Shortbread relies on the ratio of fat to flour, creating a snap that gives way to a sandy, melting texture. By grinding whole cardamom pods into the sugar, you distribute the floral, piney oils evenly throughout the dough rather than dealing with the gritty texture of pre-ground spice.
Cold butter is your structure.
The secret is avoiding heat; if your butter softens too much before it hits the oven, the cookies will spread into greasy puddles instead of holding their shape.
- mortar and pestle
- food processor or large mixing bowl
- 9-inch round cake pan
- parchment paper
- fork
What goes in.
- 1 cupunsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- 1/2 cupgranulated sugar
- 2 cupsall-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tspwhole green cardamom pods, husks removed
- 1/4 tspkosher salt
Infusing the Sugar
Pulse the cardamom seeds with the sugar in a processor until the spice is fine dust. This ensures the flavor permeates the butter and flour rather than sitting on the surface.
The method.
Prepare the aromatic sugar
Grind the cardamom seeds and sugar together until they look like pale green sand.
Cut in the butter
Pulse or rub the flour, salt, and cardamom sugar into the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse, damp cornmeal. Do not let it form a unified ball yet.
Form the dough
Press the crumbs into your prepared pan. Use the bottom of a glass to pack it firmly and evenly into the corners.
Score and chill
Prick the surface with a fork in a pattern. Chill the entire pan for 20 minutes to firm up the fat.
Bake
Bake at 325°F until the edges are pale gold and the center is set, usually about 40 to 45 minutes.
Slice
Cut into wedges while the shortbread is still warm. Let it cool completely in the pan to set the structure.
Other turns to take.
Citrus-Cardamom
Rub the zest of one lemon into the sugar before grinding it with the cardamom.
Dark Chocolate Dipped
Dip half of each cooled wedge into tempered dark chocolate.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always weigh your flour if you have a scale; packing flour into a measuring cup often leads to a dry, crumbly dough.
If the dough feels greasy when you press it into the pan, put the pan in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking.
To remove the husks from cardamom, crush the pods with the side of a knife and pick out the dark seeds.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use ground cardamom from a jar?
You can, but the flavor will be significantly muted compared to fresh-ground pods. If using jarred, reduce to 1 teaspoon to avoid a medicinal aftertaste.
Why did my shortbread spread?
The butter was likely too warm before it went into the oven. Ensure you chill the pan for at least 20 minutes after pressing the dough into it.
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