From the telly to your belly, recreating recipes from television
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Welcome to our series ‘Gobblebox’, where we recreate recipes from the small screen, and bring the telly to your belly. This week, we're bringing you TED LASSO's signature Shortbread Biscuits. It's almost impossible to get through an episode of Ted Lasso without spying Rebecca's favourite snack, and frankly, why would you want to.
The first time we see the famous bickies, is in Series 1, Ep 2, an episode wonderfully titled "Biscuits". Ted is new to West London, and yet to covert his new boss Rebecca to a fan (of his unique charm, or in fact, of Richmond FC at all). In a bid to win her over, Ted brings her a small pink box of homemade shortbread, which she devours in a flurry of ecstasy. Quickly, 'Biscuits with the Boss' becomes a daily tradition, and almost as beloved a fixture of the show as hearing Jamie Tartt say "poopeh".
You may be delighted to know, that if you pop to Richmond you can go and see the outside of Ted's apartment on a very cute alleyway called Paved Court, next door to delicious Italian restaurant L'assaggino. If you aren't in the mood to make your own, you can even buy a box of Ted's bickies from the restaurant.
If you love the show, a fun day out can be had, going to see Ted's street, which branches out onto Richmond Green, where you can grab a pint at his and Beard's fave pub The Prince's Head. You can get your hands on some merch at a few of the local shops, and crown the day off with a biscuit (though we suggest you make and take these because honestly, they're better). Have a fab day but, you have been warned... don't expect to catch a Greyhound's game or you will be most disappointed.
This recipe follows the basic shortbread 3-2-1 ratio (300 flour, 200g butter, 100g sugar). Make sure you use very soft butter or you will be in for quite the pre-game work out, and once you have added the flour, don’t overwork the dough. Working the flour activates the gluten, so if you over do it, you will end up with chewy, tough biscuits, and face relegation ⚽️
To get a nice clean edge, we prefer to bake the shortbread in one big tin, and slice it when it's still hot, after baking. If you prefer, you can shape into individual biscuits first, and bake them that way, it will just require a hotter oven, for much less time. If you do individual biscuits, be sure to let them chill in the fridge for half an hour before baking, so that the butter firms up and they don't spread a tonne once baked.
Shortbread is a classic for a reason, it's very simple to make, but oh so delicious. There is beauty in it's simplicity, but if you do fancy jazzing things up, this recipe makes a great base for you to play around, and add different flavours, you can even make savoury ones! Our fave variations include:
Orange and dark chocolate
Lemon and white chocolate
Parmasan and poppy seed
Fresh herb
You can check these snazzy flavours out here.
If you haven't watched our video yet, be sure to head over and have a wonderful time over on our YouTube channel. And without further ado, it's time to make some biscuits for the boss ⚽️
CLASSIC SHORTBREAD
Features in Ted Lasso in almost every episode!
INGREDIENTS (makes 21 fingers)
300 g plain flour
200 g very soft unsalted butter (plus extra for greasing)
100 g golden caster sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
To serve
10g granulated sugar
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 170°C / 150°C fan.
Cream together the butter and sugar until pale in colour.
Add the salt and vanilla, and mix until fully incorporated.
Sift in the flour, and fold to combine. nb: If you are struggling to incorporate all the flour, use your hands to bring it together. Stop as soon as combined, don't overwork the dough.
Grease and line a 20 x 20 cm tin / 8 tin with parchment paper.
Turn the dough out into the tin, and press into an even layer, using a palette knife to smooth the dough.
Bake for 50 - 60 mins until set and golden in colour.
Leave in the tin for 10 mins, before cutting into slices whilst still warm.
Sprinkle with the granulated sugar, and leave to cool in the tin for at least 30 mins. Then, remove from the tin, and leave to cool fully on a wire rack before serving.
ALTERNATIVE FLAVOURS - SWEET
I like to prepare the dough as per the classic version, and then split the dough in half and add different flavourings to each half, before shaping. Variety is the spice of life and all that.
INGREDIENTS
See classic recipe
Plus:
1 lemon - zest only
1/2 a large orange - zest only
150g white chocolate
150g dark chocolate
METHOD
Prepare the dough as per the classic recipe
Split the dough into two
FLAVOUR ONE: LEMON AND WHITE CHOCOLATE
Add the zest of 1 lemon to half of the dough
Roll the dough to 1 cm thickness
Cut into fingers 1cm x 1cm x 10cm
Place on a lined baking sheet + cover with cling film
FLAVOUR TWO: ORANGE AND DARK CHOCOLATE
Add the zest of 1/2 a large orange to the other half of the dough
Roll the dough to about 6 mm thickness
Using a cookie cutter, cut into 6cm rounds
Place on a lined baking sheet + cover with cling film
THEN...
Preheat the oven to 190°C / 170°C fan. nb: individual biscuits = hotter oven for shorter time.
Once rolled and shaped, chill in the fridge for 30 mins before baking. nb: This will solidify the butter, and the biscuits will spread less during baking.
Bake for 10 - 12 mins until set and starting to colour on the edges.
Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool fully.
Separately, melt the white chocolate and dark chocolate.
Dip 1/3 of the lemon flavoured biscuit fingers into the white chocolate, allow the excess to drip off. Transfer to a lined baking sheet.
Dip 1/2 of the orange flavoured biscuit rounds in dark chocolate, allow the excess to drip off. Transfer to a lined baking sheet.
Leave to cool until the chocolate hardens before serving.
ALTERNATIVE FLAVOURS - SAVOURY
INGREDIENTS
300 g plain flour
200 g very soft unsalted butter (plus extra for greasing)
1 tsp kosher salt
To flavour
25g grated parmesan (divided)
50g poppy seeds
1 tsp of fresh mixed herbs- chopped nb: I use a combo of sage, rosemary and thyme
Optional: additional fresh herbs for decorating
METHOD
Cream the butter with the salt until pale in colour.
Sift in the flour, and fold to combine. nb: If you are struggling to incorporate all the flour, use your hands to bring it together. Stop as soon as combined, don't overwork the dough
Split the dough into two.
FLAVOUR ONE: PARMASAN AND POPPY SEED
Add 20g of parmesan to the dough, and push together with your hands
Roll the into a log approx 5 cm in diameter + wrap in cling film
Chill in the fridge for 30 mins. Preheat the oven to 190°C / 170°C fan
Once chilled, slice the dough into rounds approx 6mm thick + transfer to a lined baking sheet
Sprinkle the remaining 5g of parmesan over the biscuits
Bake for 10 - 12 mins until set and starting to colour on the edges
Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool fully before serving
FLAVOUR TWO: HERB
Add the chopped herbs to the dough, and push together with your hands
Roll the dough to about 5 mm thickness
Using a knife, cut into squares approx 2cm x 2cm + transfer to a lined baking sheet
Optionally, place a few leaves of fresh rosemary or thyme, or a small sage leaf onto each biscuit
Cover, and chill in the fridge for 30 mins. Preheat the oven to 190°C / 170°C fan
Bake for 10 - 12 mins until set and just starting to colour on the edges
Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool fully before serving
