Bitter shortbread - what to do with it?
Yesterday I did a batch of shortbread but the cookies have a tangy, almost bitter after taste. Initially I thought the culprit was the lactose-free butter I use, now I know it's probably because the sides of the shortbread browned a bit.
I think I know what I need to change next time I make this recipe, but now I'd like to know what I can do to mask the bitterness in this batch of cookies. I'm thinking of making a caramel sauce to dip the shortbread in. Will this work?
Also, out of curiosity, could anyone explain what makes shortbread taste bitter when they brown?
For reference, the recipe I used can be found here: Simply Perfect Crispy Scottish Shortbread
Best Answer
Based on my experience rescuing overdone oatcakes, I suggest crumbling up the shortbread, maybe cutting off any obviously burnt edges, adding some sugar and then using it as the topping for a fruit crumble. You could add another complex taste by adding crumbled nuts to the topping. (Mix them in, else they will burn during the baking.) There will probably be some bitterness remaining, but I'd expect this to mask it and make something palatable for most people.
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Why does my shortbread have a bitter aftertaste?
The key to good shortbread is slow baking until it is pale golden and cooked through \u2013 if over baked, or baked too quickly, it will become slightly bitter in taste due to the 'burnt' butter.How do you fix shortbread?
But in a quick fix that saves both fear and butter, Garten suggests simply adding more water if the batter is more crumble than dough. "If the shortbread dough feels dry, I add a teaspoon or two of water until it's easier to work with," Garten explained.What happens if you put too much butter in shortbread?
Using too much butter will: Cause your cookie to spread out way too much during baking. Cause your cookie to brown.Is shortbread supposed to be soft when it comes out of the oven?
Shortbread should always have a tender, melting texture, but be slightly crisp when you bite into it. It should not generally be damp or wet underneath. A classic shortbread recipe will also only have flour, butter and sugar as the ingredients (in a 3:2:1 ratio) and not egg, which could lead to excess moisture.Scottish Shortbread
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Answer 2
I'm afraid there is not really much you can do. I once wrote up a catch-all question on trying to remove an overpowering smell from food; in your case, what I said applies to the bitter taste too. (The exception for taste are foods where you can leach it out, such as aubergines).
You already hit on the one technique that has a chance of helping: adding something else, both to dilute the unwanted taste and to distract the senses with a competing taste. I am intentionally saying "has a chance of" and not "will" work - the results are very subjective. For some people, a given combination will be sufficient so they will no longer be bothered by the presence of the bitter taste, for others, it will not be sufficient. This variability is also the reason why nobody can suggest a magic combination that will mask it better than others.
To your subquestion, there is also no obvious reason for this to happen, unless you are using "browned" as an euphemism for "almost charred". This is a very standard recipe, and with so few components, the probability of two things reacting in unexpected ways is minimal. You can of course try baking it less next time, or changing the butter, but at this point, it is really a matter of wild guessing.
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