Pitcaithly Bannock (Scottish Celebration Shortbreads)
Makes 32 pieces
12 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
Zest of one large orange (or two clementines)
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup raw rice (I prefer basmati)
½ tsp fine sea salt
2 tsp caraway seeds
¾ cup sliced almonds
¼ cup confectionary’s sugar
1) Line two 8”x8” cake pans with parchment. I prefer to use two pieces per pan (see photograph). Heat your oven to 300 degrees.
2) In a cast iron pan, first toast the caraway seeds until just starting to become fragrant and “pop.” Brush the seeds onto a sheet of parchment and then toast the almond slices in the hot pan until just starting to brown, shaking the pan constantly. Brush the almond slices onto the same parchment sheet to cool with the seeds.
3) In a food processor, pulse the granulated sugar with the orange zest roughly five times. This will blend the zest and the sugar and grind the sugar just a bit more fine to imitate “castor” sugar.
4) In a standing mixer, cream together the butter and the zested sugar on a medium speed for about five minutes until fully smooth.
5) While the butter/sugar is creaming, measure the flour and salt into a medium bowl. Grind the rice in a spice grinder until it becomes a powder and add to the flour/salt mixture. Fill a small plastic bag with the cooled almonds and caraway seeds, seal the bag, and then crush the nuts and seeds together with your hands. Add the nut/seed mix to the flour mixture. Whisk all the dry ingredients together.
6) With the mixer on low, add the dry mix to the creamed butter until it comes together evenly. Divide the dough in half and press each half into the 8x8 pans. Using a pastry comb or a fork, create ridges on the top of the dough before baking. These ridges will give the final dusting of sugar lovely crevasses to fill.
7) Bake the shortbreads for 40-45 minutes until evenly golden. Remove the pans from the oven and immediately dust the tops of the shortbreads with confectionary sugar using a sifter. Let the shortbreads cool on a rack in the pan for ten minutes, cut into desired shapes (16 squares per pan) and then let the cookies fully cool in the pan before removing them to serve.
