Herbfarm rosemary shortbread

Yield: 36 Cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c Unsalted butter (3 sticks) -- at room temperature
2/3 c Sugar
2 tb Fresh rosemary or
2 ts Dried rosemary
2 1/4 c Unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 c White or brown rice flour
1/4 ts Salt
2 ts Sugar for topping (opt'l.)

Instructions:

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Cream butter in a large bowl until pale yellow and light. Add the sugar; continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy. If you are using fresh rosemary mince it. If you are using dried rosemary crush it in a mortar and pestle or by using a rolling pin on a flat surface until it is fine but not a powder. Add both flours the salt and the rosemary to the butter mixture; mix until thoroughly combined. The dough will be somewhat soft. Refrigerate it for 1 hour if necessary so that it is firm enough to roll. Roll the dough out to form a rectangle about 10 x 14" and 1/4" thick. Cut cookies into 1 1/2 x 2" rectangles or any other shape you like. Place them about 1/2" apart on the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle them with the sugar topping if desired; bake at 375 F. in the center of the oven until they are gold at the edges 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and transfer them to wire racks to cool. Pack in an airtight container. The cookies will keep their flavor improving for at least a week. Note: The author says that these cookies are much better two days after they are baked and suggests planning accordingly. Recipe from Ron Zimmerman of The Herbfarm/Falls City WA. In _Farm House Cookbook_ by Susan Herrmann Loomis. New York: Workman Publishing Company Inc. 1991. Pp. 384-385. ISBN 0-89480-772-2. Electronic format by Cathy Harned.