YUP! I GOT A JOB INTERVIEW! It actually happened a couple of weeks ago with the jobbers calling to see when I was free to meet up, so I didn't want to get my hopes up and then feel disappointed at the end, meaning I kept it a secret from all of you until now (sorry, but I get crushed when I get rejected and being the critical arse that I am, berating myself and feeling humiliated is about all that I can handle without others' sympathy). I don't know if I got the job yet or not, I guess we're still in the negotiation period, but prospects look good! I'm so excited! That only means I'll be baking less, but am definitely not stopping.
Anyways, needing to come down from the adrenaline high I was on (both from the interview and from driving in the POURING rain that pelted NorCal on Friday - I'm an LA driver, so you can only imagine what that's like for me), I figured I would sneak into my stash of cranberries in the freezer. Since cranberries have such a sort season nowadays, I always buy a few extra packs and freeze them in case I want some sweet and tart later on in the winter or spring. I usually make orange cranberry muffins with these guys, but seeing as my Chinese classes were canceled for the upcoming week because of Thanksgiving, I figured I would try something different.
Anyways, needing to come down from the adrenaline high I was on (both from the interview and from driving in the POURING rain that pelted NorCal on Friday - I'm an LA driver, so you can only imagine what that's like for me), I figured I would sneak into my stash of cranberries in the freezer. Since cranberries have such a sort season nowadays, I always buy a few extra packs and freeze them in case I want some sweet and tart later on in the winter or spring. I usually make orange cranberry muffins with these guys, but seeing as my Chinese classes were canceled for the upcoming week because of Thanksgiving, I figured I would try something different.
Once again combing for a suitable match that would give me something tasty, I head to the joyofbaking.com and find cranberry shortbread bars. I'm into a real "bar" kick (as if you haven't noticed from my last 2 posts), so these guys seemed perfect in settling my OCDness. Flaky, crusty shortbread and sweet but tart cranberries - I don't know if there's any better combination. They were pretty easy to prepare and turned out just the way they should. I broiled them a little bit to make the top crust a little more crunchy which made my nightly cup of tea extra special.
Cranberry Filling:
8 ounces (2 1/4 cups) (225 grams) fresh cranberries
2/3 cup (130 grams) granulated white sugar
3 tablespoons water
Shortbread Bars:
2 cups (270 grams) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (20 grams) cornstarch (corn flour)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup (70 grams) light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and place the wire oven rack in the center of the oven. Butter (or spray with a non stick cooking spray) a 9 x 9 inch (23 x 23 cm) pan (I didn't have a 9 x 9 pan, so I used a 9 x 13 glass dish and just increased the amount of ingredients to make sure there was enough to go around).
Cranberry Filling: In a medium sized saucepan, place all the ingredients. Then, over medium-high heat, cook the ingredients until boiling. Continue to boil the filling until it becomes thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool while you make the shortbread.
Shortbread: In a separate bowl whisk the flour, cornstarch, and salt. In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter until smooth (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat until smooth (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Gently stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated.
Evenly press two-thirds of the shortbread into the bottom of the prepared pan. Then evenly spread the cranberry filling over the shortbread base, leaving a 1/4 inch border. With the remaining shortbread dough, using your fingers, crumble it over the top of the cranberry filling. Then lightly press the dough into the filling.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Remove from oven, place on a wire rack, and while still hot, cut into 16 squares. Allow to cool completely in pan. Makes about 16 bars.
Cranberry Shortbread Bars
Ingredients: Cranberry Filling:
8 ounces (2 1/4 cups) (225 grams) fresh cranberries
2/3 cup (130 grams) granulated white sugar
3 tablespoons water
Shortbread Bars:
2 cups (270 grams) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (20 grams) cornstarch (corn flour)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup (70 grams) light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and place the wire oven rack in the center of the oven. Butter (or spray with a non stick cooking spray) a 9 x 9 inch (23 x 23 cm) pan (I didn't have a 9 x 9 pan, so I used a 9 x 13 glass dish and just increased the amount of ingredients to make sure there was enough to go around).
Cranberry Filling: In a medium sized saucepan, place all the ingredients. Then, over medium-high heat, cook the ingredients until boiling. Continue to boil the filling until it becomes thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool while you make the shortbread.
Shortbread: In a separate bowl whisk the flour, cornstarch, and salt. In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter until smooth (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat until smooth (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Gently stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated.
Evenly press two-thirds of the shortbread into the bottom of the prepared pan. Then evenly spread the cranberry filling over the shortbread base, leaving a 1/4 inch border. With the remaining shortbread dough, using your fingers, crumble it over the top of the cranberry filling. Then lightly press the dough into the filling.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Remove from oven, place on a wire rack, and while still hot, cut into 16 squares. Allow to cool completely in pan. Makes about 16 bars.
Cranberry Shortbread Bars
A little more brown than golden, but still delicious!
Eeee!!! I didn't know you were into cooking and baking! For a while, I thought I was the only one among us. I kept telling Becky that I felt like such a housewife, since my hobbies consist of reading and baking. We should trade recipes!
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