Vanilla (Bean) Shortbread

Dudes. Vanilla beans are PRICEY. Like, $15 pricey. $15 per single bean. Needless to say, I took liberties with this recipe.

Adam showed me the Digital Macro camera setting.

Shortbread is notoriously bad for you, because of the copious amounts of butter. However, I found this recipe in a magazine that lightened it up by replacing half the butter in a normal shortbread recipe with vegetable oil.

So all of today's photos are extreme close-ups.

They do taste a bit "light," which for shortbread really just means they don't taste quite as buttery as they perhaps should. Maybe they need to be punched up with ¼ teaspoon of a spice like nutmeg or cinnamon (or both?). Maybe I needed to spring for the damn vanilla bean.

And now I'm feeling cross-eyed.

So, not the best thing I've ever made. But they certainly aren't bad; in fact, I kind of like them. I like that their consistency is airier and crispier than traditional shortbread. And hey -- they're bride-friendly.

Apologies.

Vanilla Bean Shortbread
via Cooking Light Magazine, adapted slightly

2 cups flour
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter (1 stick)
½ cup canola oil
½ cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with foil; coat foil with cooking spray.

Step 2: Lightly spoon flour into measuring cups; level with knife. Combine flour, cornstarch, and salt in a mixing bowl; stir with a whisk.

Step 3: Place butter in medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add oil; beat with a mixer at medium speed for 3 minutes or until well blended. Gradually add sugar, beating well. If using a vanilla bean, scrape seeds from bean, and add seeds to butter mixture; discard bean. Otherwise, add extract and mix in.

Step 4: Add flour mixture, beating at low speed just until blended (do not overmix).

Step 5: Spoon dough into prepared pan. Place a sheet of heavy-duty plastic wrap over dough; press with your fingers to an even thickness. Carefully peel off plastic wrap and discard.

Step 6: Bake for 30 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool in pan 5 minutes on a wire rack; cut into 32 pieces. Carefully lift foil from pan; cool squares completely on a wire rack.