There are some deceptively simple recipes out there that yield amazing results and one of the simplest is shortbread. There are only four ingredients involved and the end result, if a little care is employed, can win over even the harshest critic.
Essentially shortbread is a pastry but made in such a way that it robust enough to stand on its own. With this in mind I would recommend that you treat it with care. Make sure, for example, that you don't overwork the flour - overworking will help to release gluten from the flour which will inhibit the crumbliness of the end product. I would also advise that you make the dough in a cold kitchen and only turn the oven on when the cut shortbreads are resting in the fridge. Cold hands can be helpful so, if like me you have warm hands, hold them under a running cold tap for as long as you can stand it.
Makes about 16 Shortbreads>
Ingredients
Essentially shortbread is a pastry but made in such a way that it robust enough to stand on its own. With this in mind I would recommend that you treat it with care. Make sure, for example, that you don't overwork the flour - overworking will help to release gluten from the flour which will inhibit the crumbliness of the end product. I would also advise that you make the dough in a cold kitchen and only turn the oven on when the cut shortbreads are resting in the fridge. Cold hands can be helpful so, if like me you have warm hands, hold them under a running cold tap for as long as you can stand it.
Makes about 16 Shortbreads>
Ingredients
- 125g Salted Butter (softened by leaving out of the fridge for an hour or popping in the microwave for 10 seconds)
- 55g Caster Sugar
- 180g Plain Flour
- Icing sugar for dusting
To make:
- Weigh the sugar into a large mixing bowl and cut the butter into pieces - these don't need to be regular cubes just cut in lumps until all the butter is added.
- Using the same knife "cut in" the butter. This simply means run the knife through the butter to incorporate the sugar - the mixture has been properly cut in if there is no sugar laying at the bottom of the bowl
- Using a wooden spoon beat the butter and sugar together until it is in a smooth and workable paste
- Add the flour and stir (carefully) until it is fully incorporated into the butter/sugar mix and you have a breadcrumb-like texture. Use your hands to improve the breadcrumbs but don't overwork - a few seconds should do it.
- *fun part* Squish the mix into a single ball - it should be crumbly but cohesive and only slightly sticky
- Allow to rest in the fridge for a few minutes - this will make it easier to handle
- Roll out on greaseproof paper (using a floured rolling pin) to a thickness of about 1cm and start cutting out fingers of the shortbread - longish, thickish and deepish will help to maintain its structure in the oven. I find it helps to use a sharp knife to cut out the largest rectangle of dough possible from what you have rolled out.
- Once you have cut out the fingers, recombine the leftover dough and repeat step 7 until all the dough is used up. If the dough gets too floppy at any point stick it back in the fridge for a few minutes.
- Arrange the shortbread fingers on a single sheet and leave it to chill in the fridge for 20 minutes - perfect time to turn on your oven to 180C (gas mark 4/5)
- Bake for 15ish minutes or until very lightly golden
- Dust lightly with icing sugar while still hot and leave to cool on a wire rack - It's tempting to scoff them as soon as they are cool enough to touch but leaving them to cool fully will significantly improve the texture.
And that's it. Simple but delicious.
Bake on bakers!
