This week’s Tuesdays with Dorie challenge is for this delightful Hungarian Shortbread. With a full pound of butter, this dessert delivers a perfect a rich, tender crumb. It’s filled with jam. The book included a recipe for Rhubarb Jam, but I used Sarabeth’s Strawberry Rhubarb Preserves. I don’t know if Rhubarb is a colder climate vegetable, but we hardly ever see it here and I’m just not that familiar with it. I love Sarabeth’s preserves and this one was just perfect for this delectable dessert.
I had a lot of Cinnamon Sugar and Nuts left from the Rugelach recipe we made last month, so I scattered it on top of the shortbread before I put it in the oven.
One of the things I love about this group is that I always learn something new. This week, we prepared the dough for the shortbread, cut it in half, froze it, then shredded it! This method allows air into the pastry to keep it light. It has the perfect shortbread texture and the jam was just a bonus. Thoroughly delightful!
Male Mallard swimming in Channel Islands Harbor |
The Café Sucré Farine says
It’s funny I have a recipe very similar that’s called Austrian Shortbread with the same technique. I guess it’s popular all over that part of the world. No matter where it hails from it certainly looks delicious!
mireia badia says
Great substitution!!! I thought the dough was really good too!!!
Cher Rockwell says
These look delightful with the jam. Great job.
My parents have always had a rhubarb patch behind their barn – and we are definitely a cooler climate! So, every spring (late May), I am used to heading on to their house and taking my fill. (not everyone likes it…)
Cathleen says
Your photos are great! Good idea to top it with the leftover sugar/nut mixture. A lot of fellow bakers have mentioned Sarabeth’s preserves. Will have to look into this brand. Love your site.
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
What an interesting technique – I’ve never shredded dough before but now I’m certainly intrigued. With a pound of butter, this shortbread has to be good!
baker in disguise says
Looking at the photographs I thought as much that you’ve put some kind of topping!! good idea… :)… Forget about getting it here in India.. I have never even tasted rhubarb!!!
Andrea_TheKitchenLioness says
What a great idea adding cinnamon sugar and nuts to the Hungarian Shortbread. The shortbread sure looks like it tasted delicious. Great post, Susan.
Sweet and That's it says
What a lovely pictures & Delicious Shortbread!
I’ve made some little changes to save on fat and Kcal and was still delicious!
Greetings from Switzerland.
smarkies says
It was a really good texture for a shortbread. Well done!
Guyla says
Nice pics and good idea to use your leftover sugar and nut mix. I used mine in oatmeal.
Guyla says
That is one gorgeous duck! The shortbread looks good too!
Paula Montenegro says
You were clever to use the cinnamon sugar! I still have some left.
Your shortbread looks delicious! And I love the duck
Anonymous says
I see lots of blog posts with rhubarb (in season) in the spring time but here in England it is more of a winter fruit… hard to say… either way my husband loves rhubarb so I try to get it when he is here with us and rhubarb is in season, although I used apricot for mine 🙂
Alice @ http://acookingmizer.wordpress.com
pinkstripes says
Your squares look great!
CJ - Food Stories says
I’ve never heard of this technique before so I am definitely intrigued. By the way, the mallard is breathtaking!
Karen says
Yum! I bet the cinnamon sugar on top was delicious! 🙂 It seems hard to find rhubarb around my area too.
Anna says
What a cute blog! I really enjoyed this recipe and yours look lovely!
Kathy says
Susan, Your shortbread looks amazing! I have been baking for many years and have never heard of grating dough…live and learn! Happy May Day!
Kris' Kitchen says
Love your ideas to give more flavor to this shortbread. I actually like seeing your strawberry cake in your next post…beautiful and those strawberries look so sweet and perfect…not like the ones I get from the store. Your shortbread looks really good too. You are a great baker…well done.
Elaine says
Your shortbread looks so luscious, Susan! The added flavors sound so very tasty. That is a fantastic photo of the mallard!
Baking is my Zen...sweet nibbles for the soul says
Hi Susan,Your shortbread looks so delish – nice and hefty…with lots of jam…I’ll have to try the Rhubarb Jam…pleasantly surprised with the photo of the beautiful bird…nice shot with the reflection. Nicely done! 🙂
~Carmen
http://bakingismyzen.wordpress.com/2012/05/01/twd-baking-with-julia-hungarian-shortbread-with-homemade-strawberry-jam/
missymey says
i think that the cinnamon sugar and nut topping may have elevated what was an already perfect shortbread. i will have to try it this way.
Teresa says
What a good idea to use the leftover rugelach mixture as a topping for this square. The strawberry-rhubarb preserves you used have a lovely colour.