Rich Inheritance

In America we're all mutts, and proudly so. The more generations we add, the muttier we get. I have all sorts of countries, continents and ethnicities in me. My mom tells me there are many ways I take after my spunky Scottish grandmother. I'm very pleased to share her grit and ingenuity. One thing she passed on that had nothing to do with genetics is this amazing shortbread recipe. 

It's all about the butter. If you can, make the butter in the Vita-mix. Otherwise, get the highest quality.

Scottish Shortbread

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

1/2 cup sugar

1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped

2 cups flour

Pinch sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the butter, sugar and vanilla in the Vita-Mix container. Start on variable #1, increase to #7. Use tamper to combine until completely creamed. Stop and scrape sides as needed. Add flour and salt. Pulse on #7 several times. Use tamper and scrape sides with spatula a couple of times. 

Scrape out into an 8 inch cake pan or shortbread mold. Spread the dough flat with your fingers, lightly floured if necessary to keep from sticking. (If using a regular pan, score the top of the dough where you want to break the finished shortbread into pieces. Dot the top with the tines of a fork for a traditional appearance.)

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the edges just begin to turn golden.

Cool in the pan.

Butter Up

There is something inherently more magical about making "staples", the things we just assume appear fully-formed on the grocery shelves like bread and butter. It's as if we gain some empirical knowledge by pulling back the black curtain of mystery to reveal how things really happen.

And there lies the wonder of making butter in Thor. What used to take an afternoon on the porch with a churn now takes mere seconds in the Vita-mix. Whir, wiz, woosh and you've got a mass of beautiful golden butter and the separated buttermilk (which I've saved for making Okara bread). Next I will extend the process by trying flavor mix-ins. The options are endless...

Homemade Butter

(adapted from Vita-Mix cookbook)

2 cups heavy cream

Pinch of sea salt

Place cream and salt in the Vita-Mix container and secure lid.

Start on Variable #1, increase to #10, then high.

Run machine until mixture is thick and you hear a change in the sound of the machine.

Stop, scrape the sides of the container with a spatula and stir once into center.

Reset machine to variable, speed #5. Turn on machine for 5 seconds, stop and scrape sides again.

Repeat procedure several times until you see the mixture start to flow easier and fluid appears. Run for a few more seconds until solid butter sets up in center of container on top of blades.

Place butter in a nut milk bag and press out any excess liquid.

Refrigerate in an airtight container.