Browned Butter Shortbread Cookies

MAKES 1 TRAY

For the dough: 1 cup + 1½ tbsp (250 g) butter, ½ vanilla pod, 1 cup (200 g) sugar, ½ tsp salt, 2¾ cup + 1 tbsp (350 g) wheat flour or spelt flour

Additional: parchment paper

Heat butter slowly in a small pot over low heat, stirring continuously, until it is slightly brown. Pour into a mixing bowl and let it harden. Slice open the vanilla pod, scrape out the pulp, and add to the browned butter. Add sugar and salt, as well, and beat the mixture using a hand mixer with a whisk attachment until creamy. Fold in the flour carefully.

Lay two pieces of parchment paper on a countertop. Cut the dough in half and place each half in the center of a piece of paper. With help of the parchment paper, form two identically shaped cylindrical rolls, approx. 1¾ in. (4½ cm) in diameter, and squeeze each of them firmly so they hold together. Keep covered in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C), unless you have a convection oven, in which case preheat to 320°F (160°C), or a gas oven, in which case preheat to level 3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Take the rolls of dough out of the parchment paper, cut them into 1/8 in. (4 mm) thick slices, and lay them on the cookie sheet. Place them in the preheated oven (on the middle rack) and bake 12 minutes until they are light brown.

Place the cookies, along with the paper, onto a countertop and let cool.

Warning: The cookies are very breakable when they are still warm. If you use spelt flour, they will be even more fragile.

 

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