Marian Platt
Blend new tradition with old
Published on Wed, Dec 2, 2009 by Marian PlattRead More Platt
It is December and that means all the old Christmas traditions once again are brought into our lives.
We decorate our rail fence with garlands of greens and red bows, the front porch has a basket of pine cones and cedar branches, and on the door a big green wreath with red balls and sprigs of holly welcomes our friends.
The banister is bright with lights shining through the greens, the fireplace mantel is aglow with candles amid the greens, and the green Christmas tree sits proudly decorated with treasures from past years.
The first historical reference to the Christmas tree was about 1510 when an evergreen tree was described as being decorated with artificial roses. But it wasn't until 1531, in Germany, that trees were sold in markets and set up - undecorated - at home.
In 1841, Prince Albert popularized Christmas trees in England by decorating a tree entirely with small sweets and chocolate goodies. It had an angel perched on top with a wreath in its hands. Times have changed since that first tree but most of us still go back to a traditional evergreen, permeating the house with its pungent aroma.
Baking Christmas cookies is another tradition in most households - it certainly was in mine - and I still observe it. It is one of the brightest ideas of the season. It is a whole lot of fun, especially with children around. On a platter and all wrapped up, cookies are a great last-minute gift and they make an instant party while trimming the tree.
Many of our yuletide customs come from Scotland and one of the most popular of cookies is the Scotch shortbread, a buttery cookie traditionally baked in a circular form with ridged edges. It is the descendent of the oat bannock that was intrinsic to pagan yule rites and whose shape was meant to mirror the sun and its rays.
SCOTCH SHORTBREAD
(Martha Stewart's own)
Makes 1 giant cookie.
1 cup unsalted butter
1/4 pound sugar
1 pound flour
Butter an 8-inch round baking tin and line bottom with parchment paper.
Cream the butter and sugar. Add the flour and mix well; the mixture will be very crumbly.
Pack the mixture into the tin, smoothing the top with a rubber scraper. Mark the top with a decorative pattern using a butter knife.
Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven 25 minutes; do not allow to brown.
Cool 10 minutes in the tin, then turn onto rack.
Prince Street is the best-known street in Edinburgh, and there you will see store after store selling shortbread wrapped in tartan ribbons at Christmastime. It's an exciting idea for gifts from your kitchen this year, but be sure to bake extra so you'll have some of these flaky layers of buttery crispness to serve your own holiday guests.
SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD
(Another version from my files)
1 cup butter
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Beat the butter until it is light and creamy. Beat in one-half cup of the sugar. Mix the flour with the salt and baking powder and fold into the butter mixture. Place the dough on a cookie sheet and pat into a rectangle, 1/2 inch in thickness and approximately 8 inches by 10 inches. Mark into 1-inch by 2-inch bars. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and bake in the center of the preheated 350-degree oven for 15 minutes until the edges are very lightly browned.
And from my Scottish cookbook comes this SCOTS SHORTBREAD - put 2 sticks butter and 1/2 cup sugar on a board and work with the hands until thoroughly incorporated. Mix 2 cups flour with 1 cup rice flour and gradually work into the butter and sugar until the dough resembles short crust. Do not roll out but press with the hand into two round cakes, either in oiled and floured wooden shortbread molds, or on a sheet of baking paper. The best thickness is 3/4-inch for a cake 8 inches in diameter. Pinch the edges neatly with finger and thumb and prick all over with a fork. Put into a 375-degree oven then reduce the heat to 300 degrees and allow the shortbread to crisp off to a pale golden brown about 1 1/4 hours.
- from Recipes From Scotland by F. Marian McNeill
Many Scottish bakers maintain that shortbread can be baked to perfection only in an oven heated with coal.
Word of advice - only the finest ingredients should be used for shortbread.
And remember, it is considered bad luck to cut shortbread with a knife - break it.
Maybe this will become a new tradition blending with the old traditions in your home this season.
Marian Platt can be reached at 683-4691 or mlplatt@olypen.com.
We decorate our rail fence with garlands of greens and red bows, the front porch has a basket of pine cones and cedar branches, and on the door a big green wreath with red balls and sprigs of holly welcomes our friends.
The banister is bright with lights shining through the greens, the fireplace mantel is aglow with candles amid the greens, and the green Christmas tree sits proudly decorated with treasures from past years.
The first historical reference to the Christmas tree was about 1510 when an evergreen tree was described as being decorated with artificial roses. But it wasn't until 1531, in Germany, that trees were sold in markets and set up - undecorated - at home.
In 1841, Prince Albert popularized Christmas trees in England by decorating a tree entirely with small sweets and chocolate goodies. It had an angel perched on top with a wreath in its hands. Times have changed since that first tree but most of us still go back to a traditional evergreen, permeating the house with its pungent aroma.
Baking Christmas cookies is another tradition in most households - it certainly was in mine - and I still observe it. It is one of the brightest ideas of the season. It is a whole lot of fun, especially with children around. On a platter and all wrapped up, cookies are a great last-minute gift and they make an instant party while trimming the tree.
Many of our yuletide customs come from Scotland and one of the most popular of cookies is the Scotch shortbread, a buttery cookie traditionally baked in a circular form with ridged edges. It is the descendent of the oat bannock that was intrinsic to pagan yule rites and whose shape was meant to mirror the sun and its rays.
SCOTCH SHORTBREAD
(Martha Stewart's own)
Makes 1 giant cookie.
1 cup unsalted butter
1/4 pound sugar
1 pound flour
Butter an 8-inch round baking tin and line bottom with parchment paper.
Cream the butter and sugar. Add the flour and mix well; the mixture will be very crumbly.
Pack the mixture into the tin, smoothing the top with a rubber scraper. Mark the top with a decorative pattern using a butter knife.
Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven 25 minutes; do not allow to brown.
Cool 10 minutes in the tin, then turn onto rack.
Prince Street is the best-known street in Edinburgh, and there you will see store after store selling shortbread wrapped in tartan ribbons at Christmastime. It's an exciting idea for gifts from your kitchen this year, but be sure to bake extra so you'll have some of these flaky layers of buttery crispness to serve your own holiday guests.
SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD
(Another version from my files)
1 cup butter
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Beat the butter until it is light and creamy. Beat in one-half cup of the sugar. Mix the flour with the salt and baking powder and fold into the butter mixture. Place the dough on a cookie sheet and pat into a rectangle, 1/2 inch in thickness and approximately 8 inches by 10 inches. Mark into 1-inch by 2-inch bars. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and bake in the center of the preheated 350-degree oven for 15 minutes until the edges are very lightly browned.
And from my Scottish cookbook comes this SCOTS SHORTBREAD - put 2 sticks butter and 1/2 cup sugar on a board and work with the hands until thoroughly incorporated. Mix 2 cups flour with 1 cup rice flour and gradually work into the butter and sugar until the dough resembles short crust. Do not roll out but press with the hand into two round cakes, either in oiled and floured wooden shortbread molds, or on a sheet of baking paper. The best thickness is 3/4-inch for a cake 8 inches in diameter. Pinch the edges neatly with finger and thumb and prick all over with a fork. Put into a 375-degree oven then reduce the heat to 300 degrees and allow the shortbread to crisp off to a pale golden brown about 1 1/4 hours.
- from Recipes From Scotland by F. Marian McNeill
Many Scottish bakers maintain that shortbread can be baked to perfection only in an oven heated with coal.
Word of advice - only the finest ingredients should be used for shortbread.
And remember, it is considered bad luck to cut shortbread with a knife - break it.
Maybe this will become a new tradition blending with the old traditions in your home this season.
Marian Platt can be reached at 683-4691 or mlplatt@olypen.com.
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