Gingered Shortbread
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- 12/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup white rice flour (available at natural foods stores, Asian grocers, and many supermarkets) or cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ cup (about 2 ounces) finely chopped crystallized ginger
Instructions:
Shortbread is the ultimate sugar cookie, crisp yet tender, and bursting with buttery flavor.
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Lightly butter a 9½-inch springform pan.
- In a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer set at high speed, beat the butter until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light in color and texture, about 2 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the all-purpose flour, rice flour, and ground ginger to make a soft dough. Stir in the crystallized ginger. Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Using the tines of a fork, press around the perimeter of the dough. Prick the dough, reaching down to the bottom of the pan, into 12 wedges.
- Bake until lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Cool completely in the pan, then remove the sides of the pan. Break the shortbread into wedges following the perforations in the dough.