A Scottish new year favourite is shortbread and National Shortbread Day is on the 6th of January. I have adapted this recipe to the new size butter packs. (If you’re a baker and have noticed changes in favourite recipes (not turning out the same as usual), check the size of your butter. The one I used today said 200g but actually weighed 195g). It’s so simple, just use your hands to bring it all together. I used a wooden spoon first because the mix is very dry until the butter starts mixing in. I have no great hopes of mine being very photogenic, it’s cooking in the tray as I write this and quite frankly, I am a stranger to straight lines!! It’s about taste though, isn’t it 😉 If you want to make millionaires shortbread with a difference, I recommend the toffee part of The Hebridean Bakers recipe Treacle Toffee Banoffee Pie. Simple and tasty. Bliadhna Mhath Ùr and I’ll see you in 2023.
Easy Shortbread
Ingredients
- 300gms flour
- 100gms sugar. I used caster for the mix and demerara for the top after baking.
- 200gms butter, room temp
- A pinch salt
Method
- Heat oven to 375º F (190 ºC)
- Mix all the ingredients together by hand. Don’t overwork the dough, stop when it just comes together.
- Roll out into the shape of a pan or tin you want to bake them in.
- Fingers – Place it in the pan of your choice. Proper shortbread fingers should be around 2cms thick. Cut the dough into fingers. Next, prick the shortbread with a fork, about half way through.
- You can also shape the dough into a ball, roll it out into a round, and score into triangles, then prick with a fork.
- Place in pre heated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until slightly brown on edges. Sprinkle with sugar immediately upon removing from the oven. Shortbread shouldn’t be darkly coloured. Let your shortbread cool on or in the pan or tray before moving to rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.