My English grandmother would make shortbread and she comes to mind whenever I eat it. I think it was one of the first things she taught my sister and I to bake. Last week I spotted a beautiful Nordic Ware snowflake baking pan, and so I justified buying it by telling myself I could make Shortbread for Christmas! I actually tried 3 different recipes, but the best one was the first and as it comes from Scotland, I’m assuming it’s the most authentic. It also reminded me the most of the recipe I enjoyed as a child.
There are actually different styles of shortbread. A circle, which is divided into ‘slices’ are called ‘shortbread petticoat tails’ because the design is similar to the pattern used to make a full petticoat once upon a time. A rectangle which has been cut into strips or bars are called ‘shortbread fingers’, and individual small biscuits or cookies are ‘shortbread rounds’. Obviously, thanks to my new baking pan, I made shortbread petticoat tails, but you can press the shortbread mixture into any shaped baking pan.
Shortbread
- 450g butter
- 225g caster sugar
- 450g plain flour
- 225g rice flour
- pinch of salt
- Pre-heat oven to 180°C.
- Sift flours together twice and add salt.
- Cream butter and sugar together (best done by hand although I used a mixer).
- Add the sifted ingredients and mix together by hand until the butter and sugar are incorporated. Don’t overmix.
- Prepare the shortbread mold or baking pan by lightly coating it with butter and icing sugar. Tap to remove excess.
- Press the shortbread dough gently into the shortbread baking mold. I used a ‘cake smoother’ to press mixture into the baking pan and to ensure it was flat and level.
- Bake for 25 -30 minutes, or remove from oven when shortbread is a pale and golden. Allow shortbread to cool in the pan, then turn it out to a wire cooling rack.
Shortbread
- 450g burro
- 225g zucchero semolato fino
- 450g farina
- 225g farina di riso
- pizzico di sale
- Forno 180 °C
- Setacciate le farine insieme due volte e aggiungete il sale.
- Mescolare il burro e lo zucchero insieme (meglio fatto a mano anche se io ho usato la planetaria).
- Aggiungere gli ingredienti setacciati, mescolando insieme a mano fino a quando il burro e lo zucchero sono incorporati. Non lavorare troppo con l’impasto.
- Preparare lo stampo o la teglia da forno con un leggero strato di burro e zucchero a velo e rimuovere l’eccesso.
- Mettere l’impasto nello stampo e premere delicatamente per ottenere la superficie piatta.
- Cuocere per 25 -30 minuti, o quando il shortbread è leggermente dorato.
