You can make these as precise as you want by straightening out the edges before baking. I like them more free form. They look home made.
As many of you know, I recently took a group on a cruise from Venice to Rome. Unfortunately, toward the end of the cruise I became ill with acute bronchitis. I came home sick and depressed, and the best way I could think of to raise my spirits was to bake.
While lying in bed, I received a recipe from David Lebovitz, one of my favorite pastry chefs. David writes the most precise recipes and has exquisite taste. He was the pastry chef at Chez Panisse for many years and has written a couple of excellent cookbooks. His recipes always work and taste wonderful. This cookie is no exception. He sent it out on his paid blog/podcast on Substack. He writes lengthy stories about Paris and the recipes he’s posting, which are always interesting and include a bit of his of homey/fun humor.
I had all the ingredients, so I pushed myself out of bed and made the cookies. They are so good that I’m sure they are hastening my recovery.
I am going to describe how to make this recipe using metric measurements for those of you who have never used metric. I urge you to try it. It simplifies baking and cooking, is more accurate and you don’t have to take out all those measuring cups.
To begin, you need a scale that measures grams. If you don’t have one, click onto Marlene’s Favorites on my website and purchase one. It is the scale I use for all my professional as well as home baking and right now it is on sale for less than $10.00.
Now let’s get started. You can use your electric mixer bowl or just a large mixing bowl with a hand held mixer or if you don’t mind a little bicep workout, you can just use a spoon. Put 2 sticks of butter into the bowl. (For these cookies I like Kerry Gold or Plugra because they have less water than American butters and in these cookies, the butter plays a starring role). Let it soften to room temperature. Put the bowl on your scale and zero it out by pushing the left Tare button to zero.(see photo.) Then press the right Unit button until you see g for grams. Add brown sugar until it measures 140 grams. David suggests using about 100 grams of golden brown sugar and 40 grams of dark brow sugar. This worked great for me. Mix the butter and sugar together until they are completely smooth. Don’t overmix. You aren’t trying to incorporate air as you would when making a cake. You just want to make sure they are well blended Mix in vanilla.
Put the bowl back on the scale, zero out the Tare, press the right Unit button to grams and add 280 grams of all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt or kosher salt. Mix until incorporated. On low speed, mix in the pecans. Knead the dough until it holds together and press it into a 4 1/2 x 6 inch rectangle. Refrigerate until firm or freeze. You can now follow the directions in the recipe.
Once you get the hang of metric, you will never want to go back to using oz. and measuring cups.
Although David says these are best the day they are baked, I find them still excellent for the next couple of days. You can always keep the dough in your refrigerator or freezer and bake them the day you want to serve them, if you prefer.
The Tare button opens the scale and allows you to zero it out. The Unit button gives you the unit of weight, such as grams, lbs, oz, ML.
On a sheet of plastic wrap, press the dough into a 6” x 4 1/2” rectangle. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze.
By cutting the edges to even them out, you can get more even cookies. Plus, you get to eat the trimmings, which may just be the best uncooked cookie dough you’ve ever tasted.
Slice the dough into 1/4-inch thick slices.
Brown Sugar Pecan Shortbread
8 ounces (225g) unsalted butter, at room temperature (I prefer Kerry Gold or Plugra)
2/3 cup packed (140g) light brown sugar, or replace about a third of the light brown sugar with dark brown sugar (100 grams golden brown and 40 grams of dark brown)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (280g) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt or kosher salt
1 cup (100g) lightly toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
1. To make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a bowl with a spoon or sturdy spatula, mix the butter with the sugar on low speed, until the mixture is completely smooth and there are no streaks of butter.
2. Mix in the vanilla, then the flour and salt, until the flour is completely incorporated. Stir in the pecans. At this point, knead slightly, to get the pecans incorporated and the dough is smooth.
3.Remove dough to a sheet of plastic wrap. Use your hands to form the dough into a rectangle 4 1/2 x 6 inches (11x13cm). Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or your favorite eco-friendly alternative, and chill the dough until firm, which will take at least 1 hour or up to 3 days. (The dough can also be frozen at this point, for future use.)
4.To bake the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper. (You can use a silicone baking mat, but parchment paper ensures the cookies will be crisper.) Trim the rounded edges of the rectangle of dough with a chef’s knife, so the dough is a neater rectangle. Cut the rectangle of dough lengthwise into two pieces, then slice the dough into rectangles about 1/4-inch (about .75cm) thick, and place them at least 1 1/2 “ apart on the baking sheet(s).
5.Bake the cookies until they are lightly browned on the top and the edges are turning golden, rotating the baking sheet(s) midway during baking. They’ll likely take about 15 minutes, but start checking them at the 10- to 12-minutes. Do not let them get too brown.
6.Let the cookies cool on a baking sheet, then store in an air-tight container until ready to eat.
7. To make ahead: The dough can be kept in the refrigerator up to 4 days or frozen for several months. Cookies may be stored airtight for several days, although David thinks they are best the day they are baked.
Makes about 48 cookies.
Recipe adapted from David Lebovitz.
