Time got away from me this week.  We traveled to the west coast to open our summer house and it’s been nonstop errands.  So, no time for a long post but here’s a wonderful recipe to kick off summer: sweet, salty shortbread with an herbal kick.

ROSEMARY SHORTBREAD adapted from epicurious.com

Ingredients

• 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon honey (2 tsp if you prefer less sweetness)
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar (cut back a bit if you prefer less sweetness
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves or 1.5 teaspoons dried rosemary, crumbled
• Optional garnish: small rosemary sprigs if using fresh herbs

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and generously butter (or spray with Baker’s Joy) a 9-inch cake pan or 9-inch round shortbread mold.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat butter with honey and sugar until light and fluffy. In another bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and chopped or dried rosemary. Add flour mixture to butter mixture and beat until just combined.
3. On a lightly floured surface knead dough until it just comes together (about 8 times). With floured hands press dough evenly into pan or mold. If using cake pan, score dough into 8 wedges with floured tines of a fork and press edges decoratively with flat sides of the tines. Press small rosemary sprigs on top.
4. Bake shortbread in middle of oven 20 to 30 minutes or until pale golden, and let stand in pan for 10 minutes.
5. While shortbread is still warm, loosen edges from pan with a small knife and invert onto your hand covered with a kitchen towel. Invert shortbread onto a cutting board and cut halfway along score marks. (If using a cake pan, let it cool in the pan until easy to cut and remove.)
6. Cool shortbread on a rack.

YIELD: 8 large wedges.  

Note: I prefer smaller pieces and this recipe works well in a square 8×8 pan too. Not as pretty though!