Not-Just-for-Thanksgiving Cranberry Shortbread Cake
Part cake, part torte, and even part bar cookie, this shortbread cake from Dorie Greenspan is a holiday winner.
By Yankee Magazine|Nov 17 2020|
Coffee By Design | Portland, Maine
Photo Credit : Katherine KeenanPart cake, part torte, and even part bar cookie, this shortbread cake from Dorie Greenspan has two basic elements: a double layer of shortbread and a filling of fresh homemade cranberry and orange jam.
From “The Sweet Life: Holiday Baking with Dorie Greenspan,” November/December 2019
Yield:
8 to 10 servingsIngredients
1 large navel orange
1 12-ounce bag cranberries, fresh or frozen (not thawed)
¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar, plus more as needed
Instructions
First, make the filling: Grate the zest of the orange into a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Slice off the peel, remove the cottony white pith, and slice between the membranes to release the orange segments (be sure to reserve the membranes). Cut the segments into ¼-inch-wide pieces and toss into the pan.
Squeeze the juice from the membranes into a measuring cup until you get ¼ cup (if you come up short, add water to make ¼ cup). Add this to the saucepan.
Add the cranberries, stir in ¾ cup sugar, set the pan over medium heat and, bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook, stirring almost constantly, until the cranberries pop and your spoon leaves tracks, about 5 minutes. Scrape the jam into a bowl and taste it—if it’s too tart, add sugar. Cool to room temperature. (The filling can be made up to 2 weeks ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.)
The ingredients for the cake calls for ” 1 cup plus 2 teaspoons (208 grams) granulated sugar” but the instructions state “Add 1 cup sugar and continue to beat until it dissolves into the butter.” Since the ingredient lists at 208 grams I think there is a misprint in the directions. Please clarify.
Hi there. 1 cup of sugar equals 200 grams, and the additional 2 teaspoons of sugar clocks in at just about 8 grams. This adds up to the 208 grams called for in the cake ingredients. The first cup of sugar is used to make the cake batter, and the remaining 2 teaspoons are used later when assembling the cake. You will see the instructions say “Brush the top of the cake very lightly with water and sprinkle with the remaining granulated sugar.” Hope this helps, and happy baking!