Imagine a breakfast that's both elegant and effortless: shirred eggs, baked to creamy perfection. Prepare to fall in love with this simple yet stunning dish – let's gather our ramekins and embark on this culinary adventure together!
About Shirred Eggs
I think shortbread cookies should be sinfully buttery and delectably tender, and these are! My recipe keeps them delicate, so they practically melt in your mouth as you bite into them.
Now, let's chat about preparing these golden delights. First off, preheat your oven to 160C or 325F—or 150C/300F if you're using a fan-forced oven. You'll need to butter and line a 9×13" pan with baking paper, leaving some overhang so you can grab the cookies out easily later.
I like to press the dough down into a rectangle shape, then plop it into the pan. For a super smooth, professional finish, I'll roll a glass over the top. Seriously, just don't press too hard, unless you're aiming for hockey pucks instead of shortbread!
Bake until the edges are a whisper of gold, then cut into bars, and bake again. Seriously, these are divine!
Ingredients
You'll need just a handful of ingredients to whip up a batch of these melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookies, so let's dive right in and gather what we need!
First, grab 250g—that's about 8 ounces or 2 sticks—of salted butter. Make sure it's softened, or use unsalted and a dash, like ¼ tsp of salt. Next, snag ¾ cup—so that's 90g—of icing sugar. This is powdered sugar, alright?
Now, about sugar. I like icing sugar because it gives a smoother finish. But, if you don't have it, ½ cup of white sugar plus 2 tbsp of flour will do! Last, get 2 cups—or 300g—of plain all-purpose flour. We're not trying to make a mountain here—just shortbread!
That's it! With these ingredients, we're ready to make some shortbread magic.
Baking Instructions
Let's get baked—or rather, let's get baking! Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C)—unless you've got a fan-forced oven, then dial it down to 300°F (150°C).
Grab a 9×13" pan, butter it well, and line it with baking paper, letting the paper hang over the sides; this will help you lift the shortbread out later!
Now, bake for 20 minutes. You're looking for very light golden edges, but the surface should still be pale. Don't let it get too brown—we want that tender crumb! A simple dish prepared in a ramekin would have different baking instructions.
Take it out and, working fast, slice into your desired shapes—like 8×3 bars. Prick all over with a fork if you're feeling fancy. Back into the oven it goes for another 8 minutes, until lightly golden.
Finally, turn off the oven, crack the door open, and let your shortbread cool inside for at least an hour. This is key to keeping it pale!
Tips
Now that you're practically a shortbread pro, let's explore into some handy tips that can elevate your baking game to legendary status!
I've found that cutting the shortbread halfway through baking—around 20 minutes—prevents those annoying crumbles. Trust me, a clean cut makes all the difference!
Don't skip the cooling in the oven! I know you're anxious to devour these buttery delights, but letting them cool slowly in the oven prevents browning and gives that perfect pale-gold color we're after.
If it's hot, and I mean *really* hot, pop your dough in the fridge for 20 minutes before baking. I don't want melty, spread-out cookies, and I bet you don't either!
Enjoy warm with tea!!!
Short Recipe Version
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 12-15 minutes
Serving Size: 1
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon cream
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of pepper
Instructions:
- Grease ramekin with butter.
- Crack eggs into ramekin.
- Drizzle with cream.
- Add salt and pepper.
- Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 12-15 minutes, or until whites are firm and yolks are jiggly.
Nutrition Information (per serving – estimated):
- Calories: 250
- Protein: 14g
- Fat: 20g
- Carbohydrates: 2g