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Shortbread Recipe

Postulant Cook

Shortbread is my favourite cookie/biscuit. It is a definite mainstay to my Christmas table. I love the crispy buttery taste of it. It looks simple but full of goodness and taste simply delicious.  It could be very expensive to buy so it is more or less a treat for special occasions such as Christmas and Hogmanay (New Year’s eve).

I especially like it with a big mug of hot chocolate, to which I dunk my shortbread when no one is looking! 😉

Shortbread apparently originated from Scotland as early as the 12th Century but it was Mary, Queen of Scot that popularised the biscuit. It might be even named after her one of shortbread designs called petticoat tails; Walkers shortbread are the best known exporter of these cookies. Shortbread is made from butter, flour and white sugar. It is the high content of butter that makes it crumbly, which gave its name shortbread.  Short was an old meaning of crumbly.

Shortbread is such a treat that it should not only be eaten on Christmas and New Year/eve.  Below is a fantastic recipe from the BBC.

 

Shortbread Recipe

Ingredients

  • 125g/4oz butter
  • 55g/2oz caster sugar, plus extra to finish
  • 180g/6oz plain flour

Preparation method

  1. Heat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
  2. Beat the butter and the sugar together until smooth.
  3. Stir in the flour to get a smooth paste. Turn on to a work surface and gently roll out until the paste is 1cm/½in thick.
  4. Cut into rounds or fingers and place onto a baking tray. Sprinkle with caster sugar and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
  5. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until pale golden-brown. Set aside to cool on a wire rack.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/shortbread_1290

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