January 6th: National Shortbread Day
Shortbread is traditional recipe from Scotland, it evolved from the Mideval biscuit bread. The main difference is that shortbread has butter instead of yeast. Butter in Scotland has a higher butterfat content 86% compared to 80% in North America.Shortbread is a common celebration food in Scotland. It is sometimes broken over the head of a new bride and eaten during holidays such as Christmas and New Years.
The traditional shape of shortbread is a circle that has been cut into triangles. Food historians believe that this design represented the sun, which leads some people to believe that shortbread was inspired my the Pagan yule cakes (sun cakes) which the Pagans ate on New Years Eve.
Today you often see sticks of shortbread as well as assorted shapes. Chocolate, jelly and nut topings are also increasing in popularity.
Origin of this Holiday
ReplyDeleteOur research did not find the creator, or the origin of this day.
This holiday is referred to as a "National" day. However, we did not find any congressional records or presidential proclamations for this day.
Even though we didn't, this is still a holiday that is publicized to celebrate.
So have fun with it and celebrate it!
What is Shortbread?
"Shortbread is a type of biscuit (cookie) which is traditionally made from one part white sugar, two parts butter, and three parts oatmeal (although plain white flour is common today, and other ingredients like ground rice or cornflour are sometimes added to alter the texture).
Shortbread is so named because of its crumbly texture (from an old meaning of the word short)." "The cause of this texture is its high fat content, provided by the butter." "The related word "shortening" refers to any fat that may be added to produce a short (crumbly) texture."
"Shortbread is not to be confused with shortcake" which is similar to shortbread but made using vegetable fat instead of butter, giving it a different texture. By coincidence, it is now understood that the short or crumbly texture is a result of the fact that the fat inhibits the formation of long protein strands.
Baking procedure
Shortbread is baked at a low temperature to avoid browning. When cooked, it is nearly white, or a light golden brown.
Shortbread Recipe
Shapes
Shortbread is traditionally formed into one of three shapes: one large circle, which is divided into segments as soon as it is taken out of the oven ("Petticoat Tails", named from the French 'petits cotés', a pointed biscuit eaten with wine); individual round biscuits ("Shortbread Rounds"); or a thick (¾" or 2 cm) oblong slab cut into "fingers." It is made from a stiff dough that retains its shape well during cooking.
The biscuits are often patterned, usually with the prongs of a fork before cooking; sometimes they are then sprinkled with more sugar while cooling. Shortbread biscuits are often associated with normal egg-based biscuits, but they hold their shape under pressure, making them ideal for packed meals.
Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas Day, the widely celebrated annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. It is celebrated on January 6 in Orthodox Church and on December 24 in the Western Christian Church. It is considered one of the most culturally significant celebrations in Christendom and the Western world, where it is widely observed as a full or partial holiday in anticipation of Christmas Day.
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