French Fridays-Salted Butter Breakups

So it's not Friday yet but since I didn't get this up last week here she blows.

I was eager to make and try these.  The recipe reminded me of shortbread. 

mmm...shortbread!

I also had some ideas of ways I wanted to serve it. 

But first I had to make it.

The recipe was simple, as all the of the recipes in Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table are.  Mix butter, sugar, flour, pat into a square and refrigerate.  Then after an hour, roll it into a 1/4" rectangle.  The best part was Dorie tells us not to worry about your rectangle being perfect.  sweet!

Dorie suggests to score the top with a fork in a criss-cross pattern.  It makes a very attractive presentation.
 
But, of course, I had to try something different.  It was St. Patrick's day last week when I made this and I thought it would me cute to make little shamrocks in the top.  But I had nothing that could make those.  I was also wishing for one of those pie crust roller things to score it with.  But since I don't have that I used a meat tenderizing mallet thingy and made little holes in the top.

I put it in the oven and set the timer for a time between the recommended baking times.  This is what I always do.

When I was about 3 minutes from the end of the baking time, I could smell that it was beginning to burn.  great.

The edges were very dark.  very dark.  (sigh)  At least there was still plenty that was not too dark.

I got busy with the grandkids and dinner preparations and left it alone for several hours.  Once I got my hand on it and tried to break off a chunk to shove in my pie hole, it was hard.  hard as a rock.  I tried to take a bite.  It was like eating rock candy.  great.

Epic FAIL!

I broke it open near the center and it was less hard and almost edible.  I had to taste this!  Some part would be edible and I was determined to find it!

One of the things I wanted to do with this was serve it with a smear of Nutella.

mmmm!  Nutella!!  Can we have a moment of silence for Nutella.

I do think this disaster was all self inflected.  I should have used the shortest baking time.  I will make it again and I will check it before the shortest baking time!  Just to be sure!  This is one of those things that can be had in so many different ways!  Not only was I going to serve Nutella with it, I wanted to dip the bottom of part of it in chocolate.  I thought it would be a nice accompaniment to ice cream.  It would be so good crumbled on top of a yogurt and fruit bowl.

But for this week, I'll just take my Nutella straight up.

That's the best way to eat Nutella anyway isn't it?