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It's not short. And it's not bread! But it's really yummy!!!!!!!!!!
(and probably super-unhealthy) :-(

2006-09-22 12:45:14 · 3 answers · asked by ♪ ♫ ☮ NYbron ☮ ♪ ♫ 6 in Food & Drink Cooking & Recipes

3 answers

You are right about it not being a good base on your food pyramid. Here is all you need to know about the History of Short bread:
Shortbread is a type of biscuit (cookie) which is traditionally made from one part white sugar, two parts butter, and three parts plain white flour, although other ingredients like ground rice or cornflour are sometimes added to alter the texture. It is baked at a low temperature to avoid browning; and when cooked, it should be white or a light golden brown. Shortbread is generally associated with Scotland, although it is also made in Denmark and other countries. Shortbread is so called because of its high fat content, "short" being the abbreviation of "shortening," which is usually butter.

Shortbread is typically formed into one of three shapes: one large circle, which is divided into segments as soon as it is taken out of the oven ("Petticoat Tails"); individual round biscuits ("Shortbread Rounds"); or a thick (¾" or 2 cm) rectangular slab cut into "fingers." It is made from a stiff dough that retains its shape well during cooking. The biscuits are often patterned, usually with the prongs of a fork before cooking; they are then sprinkled with more sugar while cooling. Shortbread biscuits are often associated with normal egg-based biscuits, but they hold their shape under pressure, making them ideal for packed meals.

Shortbread is often found in biscuit selections or made by hand and given as a gift. It has a sweet buttery taste and a firm but crumbly texture and is suitable for dunking. Shortbread and tablet (a type of crumbly fudge) can be found in every tourist shop in Scotland and is just as popular with the locals.

Shortbread is not to be confused with shortcake, which is similar to shortbread but made using vegetable fat instead of butter, giving it a different texture.

2006-09-22 12:56:21 · answer #1 · answered by Pundit Bandit 5 · 0 0

The word "short" refers to the generous proportion of fat that makes this (and other cookies and pastries) so rich that it shatters into flaky layers. This recipe has 8 ounces of butter to 6 ounces of flour, with no eggs or leavening. That's 44 percent of the total ingredients by weight — proportionately double the amount of butter in ordinary cookies.

The characteristic fork-pressed edges mark shortbread as a home-baked product, rather than one baked professionally. Today, however, tins of commercially made British shortbread are exported to every corner of the globe.

Mary, Queen of Shortbread
Shortbread has been attributed to Mary, Queen of Scots, who, in the mid-1500s, was said to be very fond of this supernally buttery biscuit. It's been suggested that the name "petticoat tail" may be a corruption of the French petites gatelles ("little cakes").

2006-09-22 19:51:20 · answer #2 · answered by Juniper 3 · 2 0

because "short" is short for shortening. For the high fat content that is in it.

2006-09-22 19:50:43 · answer #3 · answered by lachefderouge 3 · 1 0

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