HARTFORD -- Jillian Simms grew up in Middlefield. As a child, when her dad would take the car to work, she would stay home and bake with her mom. Her mom used it as a way to teach her children about math, science and baking.
As Jillian grew up, her love of baking continued. She worked as a pastry chef in Boston, Oregon, and Connecticut before starting up her own online/mail-order bakery named Grainne Baking Company.
Grainne Baking Company is based out of Deep River and offers sweet treats with ingredients from local farms. The company ships her creations anywhere in the United States. She also offers her creations at special events and farmers markets during the summer.
She showed us how to make a shortbread recipe perfect to make for your mom for Mother’s Day.
Shortbread
- 4 oz (1 stick) butter, room temperature
- ½ c.powdered sugar
- ¼ t. salt
- 1 c. flour
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Cream butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in salt and flour until just combined.
- Pat dough evenly into an ungreased 8 inch round pan. Prick dough all over with a fork, then score into 12 wedges with a sharp knife. Bake 35 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack. While shortbread is still hot, score again with a sharp knife on existing lines. Cool completely in pan.
Variations:
Citrus Shortbread: Add 2 t. lemon or orange zest along with butter and powdered sugar.
Chocolate Chip Shortbread: Add ½ c. finely chopped chocolate or mini chocolate chips along with flour.
Nutty Shortbread: Add ½ chopped pecans, pistachios, or almonds with flour.
Chai Spice Shortbread: Add 1/8 t. ground cardamom, 1/8 t. ground cinnamon, and a dash each of ground cloves and black pepper along with flour.