Author Notes: Someone has asked me for this recipe virtually every day since I invented it in the early ‘90’s. These piquant little shortbreads—sweet and savory, salty and spicy all at the same time and my most popular creation ever—were featured in Food & Wine and for sale in a chic little shop in Nolita until I couldn’t keep up with demand. —Gail Monaghan
Makes: 50-100 pending size
Ingredients
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3
sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
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2/3
cup sugar
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3
cups flour
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2 1/4
teaspoons Kala brand West Indian curry powder
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1 1/2
teaspoons sweet paprika
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1/2
teaspoon chili powder
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1 1/2
teaspoons tumeric
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1/4
teaspoon cayenne
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1
teaspoon sea salt
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1/4
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Cream the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes in a Kitchenaid. Scrape down occasionally with a rubber spatula.
- Meanwhile sift the flour together with all the spices (the rest of the ingredients on the list).
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and beat until blended, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Divide the dough in half and roll each half between 2 pieces of waxed paper until 3/16 inch thick. Refrigerate at least 1/2 hour and up to 3 days. The dough can also be well wrapped and frozen at this point. Defrost to refrigerator temperature before proceeding.
- Roll the dough into logs 1 to 1 1/4 inches in diameter, chill until firm enough to slice, and cut into slices 1/8 to 3/16 inch thick. Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet until slightly colored, about 10-12 minutes When done, cool on a wire rack. Store the biscuits in an air tight container for a week or much longer in the freezer.