BAREFOOT CONTESSA BISCUITS RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
• Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is the size of peas. (This is a very important step for light, fluffy biscuits.).
• With the mixer on low, add the half-and-half and beat until just mixed-do not over-mix.
• Add the chives and mix until just combined.
• Dump the dough out on a well-floured board and knead lightly into a rectangle 3/4 inch thick.
• Cut out rounds with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter and place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
• Brush with the egg wash.
• Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until the tops are browned and the insides are firm.
• Serve warm.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment (I use a standard Kitchen Aid hand mixer with regular blades), cream together the Butter and 1 Cup of the Sugar until they are just combined.
• Add the Vanilla.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the Flour and Salt; then add them to the Butter and Sugar mixture.
• Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk.
• Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
• Roll dough 1/2-inch thick and cut with a 3-inch heart-shaped cutter (I roll the dough between two sheets of flour-dusted waxed paper -- no sticking!).
• Place the hearts on an ungreased sheet pan and sprinkle with sugar (I line the baking sheets with parchment paper).
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes (time will vary based on the size/shape/thickness of your cookie dough), until the edges begin to brown.
• Allow to cool to room temperature.
• Leave plain or dip in or paint with melted chocolate or Royal Icing.
• A NOTE FROM INA: The edges of the shortbread are ever so slightly sharper if you chill the cookies before baking them. I cut out the cookies days ahead and bake them the day I serve them.
• For me, I loosely wrap each baked cookie in bakery-type waxed 'tissue' paper and store them in the fridge in a tightly sealed Tupperware-type container -- they will keep for weeks this way and still taste great!