Shortbread
Pale, buttery shortbread fingers with a fine, crumbly snap, made from butter, sugar and flour in the classic 1, 2, 3 proportions.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 160°C and line the tin with baking paper.
- 2
Beat the butter and sugar together until smooth and creamy, but stop before it turns light and fluffy.
- 3
Sift in the flour, cornflour and salt and stir with a wooden spoon until the mix starts to clump.
- 4
Bring it together with your hands into a smooth dough, handling it as little as possible.
- 5
Press the dough evenly into the tin and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon.
- 6
Prick all over with a fork in neat rows and chill so it holds its shape in the oven.
- 7
Bake until a pale biscuit colour all over and just firm at the edges.
- 8
Sprinkle with the extra sugar straight away and cut into 16 fingers while still hot, leaving them in the tin.
- 9
Leave to cool completely in the tin before lifting out, as warm shortbread breaks easily.
Notes
- The dough is 1 part sugar, 2 parts butter and 3 parts flour by weight. Replacing some flour with cornflour or rice flour gives a sandier, more tender texture.
- Shortbread should stay pale. Golden brown means it has baked too long and the butter flavour turns toasty.
- Stored in an airtight tin, it keeps for 2 weeks.
Equipment
20 cm square baking tin, Baking paper, Mixing bowl, Wooden spoon, Sieve, Fork, Sharp knife