Things You Should Know about Shortbread Cookies before Ordering Them
Everybody loves cookies. These delicious circular disks are instant sources of comfort. No sooner do people dig into one than they experience sheer ecstasy. It is one of the top favorite snacks both amongst children and adults. Besides tasting great, they can also be as healthy as customers want.
Cookies are of various types like macaroon, biscotti, gingerbread, oatmeal raisin, and chocolate chip. One of the most famous of these is the shortbread biscuit, which originates in Scotland and is denser than regular biscuits.
Several companies specialize in making it. For example, Shortbread by Mary Macleod is famous amongst cookie-lovers because of its pure, premium ingredients, various flavors, and safety practices during preparation.
But one of the reasons behind shortbread being unparalleled in its quality, texture, and taste is the limited ingredients used in its preparation. Bakers must ensure that they use the perfect ratio for every component while ensuring their purity.
These are also quite difficult to make because overworking the dough even by a little will end up in the biscuit becoming stretchy and chewy.
However, if you have never tasted one of these biscuits before, here are some things you should know about them before ordering one.
What do they contain?
As mentioned earlier, these biscuits contain a combination of wheat flour, sugar and butter. The best bakeries use real creamery butter to get the richest flavor while avoiding oil, fillers or other unnecessary ingredients.
Flavors like Dutch chocolate and chocolate crunch contain about 56% Dutch cocoa powder, which lends the cookies a dark, rich color with a smoother, mellower taste. Fresh nuts, dried fruits, pure maple sugar chunks and extra refined sugar are other ingredients in these biscuits.
How to recognize authentic shortbread?
There are several pointers you can rely on to decide whether a cookie is authentic or not. For example, it should have a signature scoop mark left by hand pressing before the baking process.
The outer surface will have a perfect golden appearance, light, and crunchy texture. Every cookie will be different from the other in its shape when hand-made rather than machine-made (biscuits made from machines have a uniform shape, size and design).
What flavors do they come in?
The shortbread cookies are available in various flavors, including classic, chocolate crunch, Dutch chocolate, maple crunch, gluten-free classic, and butterscotch bars.
Each has a unique taste. For instance, chocolate crunchies have a crowning chocolate chunk and bits on their bodies, making them a favorite among chocoholics.
Gluten-free cookies, on the other hand, are an ideal choice for those with Celiac disease who cannot process gluten. These biscuits are light, crispy and made from coconut flour, ground almonds, and other natural ingredients.
How much do they cost?
The cost depends on the type of shortbread collection you are looking to buy. You will find many under 25 CAD and others above 75 CAD.
What should you check before buying?
Before buying shortbread online or from a physical store, check its ingredients on the back of the package. Is the bakery a BRC-certified facility (BRC stands for British Retail Consortium and is the global standard for food safety)?
You might also consider asking if they have collection pieces like signature cookie jars, everyday boxes, signature tins, and clear decorative boxes. These are suitable for various occasions, and you may need one to celebrate a special event.
It is a good idea to buy and taste the shortbread by Mary Macleod or a similar renowned bakery specializing in these cookies and prepare them using ingredients of the highest quality. You can enjoy them yourself, share them with your family or friends, or gift them to someone special.