Petticoat Tails
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 22, 2007
Time
1¼ hours, plus 20 minutes cooling
Yield
Makes about 4 dozen
Ingredients
2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour ¼ cup cornstarch 2 teaspoons baking powder Pinch table salt 2 egg yolks 3 tablespoons light cream 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract 1 cup granulated sugar 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silicone paper.
- Mix flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix yolks, cream, and vanilla together in a measuring cup.
- Cream sugar with butter and shortening until lightened and pasty. Beat yolk mixture into creamed butter until just combined.
- Add dry ingredients and beat until mixture begins to clump together (about 18 to 20 seconds on lowest speed of electric mixer).
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead gently to shape into a soft dough. (Can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 6 months.) Proceed with rolling, shaping, and baking instructions under selected cookie. Selected shapes: Classic cut-outs; spirals made with another colored dough; turnovers; mock thumbprints.
- Divide dough into sixths. Working with one portion at a time, roll dough to an 8 1/2-inch circle on parchment paper. Invert an 8-inch fluted tart pan onto dough to form fluted circle. Using a pastry cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough circle into 8 wedges. Prick dough all over with fork. Bake the round at 350 degrees until golden, 15 to 17 minutes. While cookie is still warm, use pastry wheel or sharp knife to reestablish original cut marks. Transfer wedges to wire rack and cool to room temperature. Dip in melted chocolate, if you like.
Time
1¼ hours, plus 20 minutes coolingYield
Makes about 4 dozenIngredients
2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch table salt
2 egg yolks
3 tablespoons light cream
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch table salt
2 egg yolks
3 tablespoons light cream
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch table salt
2 egg yolks
3 tablespoons light cream
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
We wanted a holiday cookie dough recipe that could be shaped into a variety of rich and tender cookies. When we added some cornstarch, which tenderized the dough, we had our perfect butter cookie recipe.
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silicone paper.
- Mix flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix yolks, cream, and vanilla together in a measuring cup.
- Cream sugar with butter and shortening until lightened and pasty. Beat yolk mixture into creamed butter until just combined.
- Add dry ingredients and beat until mixture begins to clump together (about 18 to 20 seconds on lowest speed of electric mixer).
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead gently to shape into a soft dough. (Can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 6 months.) Proceed with rolling, shaping, and baking instructions under selected cookie. Selected shapes: Classic cut-outs; spirals made with another colored dough; turnovers; mock thumbprints.
- Divide dough into sixths. Working with one portion at a time, roll dough to an 8 1/2-inch circle on parchment paper. Invert an 8-inch fluted tart pan onto dough to form fluted circle. Using a pastry cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough circle into 8 wedges. Prick dough all over with fork. Bake the round at 350 degrees until golden, 15 to 17 minutes. While cookie is still warm, use pastry wheel or sharp knife to reestablish original cut marks. Transfer wedges to wire rack and cool to room temperature. Dip in melted chocolate, if you like.
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