How Shauna Got Her Groove Back

So before my last post, you probably noticed that it had been, um, a while since I last visited with you. And some false starts before that. So it shouldn't come as a surprise when I say that I just straight up lost my baking mojo, people. But happily, it's all coming back to me now and everything is getting okay. I've been so glad to be back in kitchen, holed up with a great cookbook or a promising idea, my steadfast and true KitchenAid mixer purring along, not even once giving me grief for being away for so long. We just don't speak about it.

In this case, the great cookbook that got the mojo working once again was, but of course, the Tartine cookbook. I am lucky to live a healthy walk away from Tartine (healthy enough to offset any guilt, anyway), and every time I glance in the windows while passing by, I just want to hurry home and caress the gorgeous photography and read through the intricate recipes in the cookbook. Like I've said before, many of the recipes have so many steps it will just blow your mind, like the Three Day Cake, but there are a few simple beauties in the book that come together more quickly than that favorite cookie recipe you can bake by heart.

The Tartine shortbread recipe is so easy you might wonder if you've suddenly taken a wrong page turn into another cookbook. But that's just the kind of baby step I needed to get back into the kitchen. The simple ingredient list and method yields a shortbread cookie so tender and buttery, it's practically restorative. Well, it was for me, anyway, because it got me back to tying my apron strings after a long hiatus, and even sparked some extra creative energy, like adding a small pile of finely grated lemon zest to the dough for a little extra somethin'.

Lemon Shortbread

Adapted from Tartine

Makes about 40 cookies The butter should be so soft that it has the look and consistency of mayonnaise or thick whipped cream; this can be quickly achieved by putting the cold butter into a saucepan, melting about a third of it, and then stirring all the butter together to create a very soft result. Create superfine sugar for dusting the shortbread by taking granulated sugar for a spin in your food processor, blender or clean coffee grinder.1 cup plus two tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (2-3 lemons' worth)

1/4 superfine sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and set a rack to the middle position. Butter a 9x13-inch glass baking dish.

Place the butter in a mixing bowl--it must be very soft, think the look and consistency of mayonnaise or whipped cream. Stir the salt into the butter. Sift together the flour and cornstarch. Using a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, stir the sugar into the butter and then stir in the flour and lemon zest until a smooth dough forms, using your hands towards the end if necessary (run your hands under cold water first to keep from making the dough too warm). Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until the edges and bottom of the shortbread begin to turn golden. Cool on a wire rack until just warm to the touch.

While the shortbread is still warm, sprinkle the surface with superfine sugar, tilting the pan to coat the shortbread evenly with sugar. Tap out any excess that doesn't cling to the surface. Use a very thin, sharp knife to cut the shortbread into 40 equal cookies. Chill completely in the pan before attempting to remove the cookies with a small offset spatula--the first cookie will be hard to remove, but the rest should come out cleanly.