Scottish shortbread

So unbelievably easy to make and tastes yum!

Shortbread also has a somewhat standard weight ratio (not cups):
3.2.1:
3 flour (usually 2 flour: 1 rice flour)
2 butter
1 sugar

And then you can play!
I follow in the tradition of Saint Delia and cut down a bit on the sugar and rice flour/semolina whose quantity is equal to the sugar.

Rice flour gives a sandy result while semolina a crunch. So choose what will give you the texture you like more.

Take care of your baking time and oven heat. Shortbread needs to be pale not tinged brown.

I heard that Heston Blumenthal’s shortbread replaces a portion of butter with oil for a softer result. I’ve never tried that, have you?

• Servings: 8 biscuits
• Time: 15 min to make the dough and 40 to 50 min baking
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients:
130 gm flour
130 gm unsalted butter, room temp
55 gm Sugar
55 gm rice flour or fine semolina (سميد ناعم)
Pinch of salt
Extra soft butter to grease the tin

What you need:

• 20cm Baking tin with removable base
• Grease proof paper disc the size of the tin
• Mixer with paddle attachment, or big wooden spoon
• Sharp knife

Method:

• Prep your tin by lining it with grease proof paper and brushing it with soft butter.
• Cream the butter to soften with a large spoon or in a mixer. Just don’t over beat it. If you start seeing water drops you’re going too far! 

• Cream in the sugar until well combined. 

• Add in the flour and rub it in lightly with the butter using your fingertips or cut it in with a pastry cutter till you have what looks like large grainy sand and all the flour is mixed in the butter. Don’t over work with your fingertips not to melt the butter. If your fingers are a bit warm run them under cold water, dry them off and then rub the flour in.
  

• The “sand” is moist and when you start pressing on it, it will clump together. Do that and start to gather the dough with your hands and form into a ball that leaves the bowl clean. Again do it quickly and lightly to not overwork the dough.
  

• Pat into a disc and place into the prepared tin.
  

• With the heel of your hand lightly press down from the centre outwards till you fill the tin.

• With the back of a spoon smooth out the edges and level the top.
  

• With a fork, press down the edges and then prick the base all over.
  

• Place in a fridge to rest for 15 min then bake at 150°C for 40 to 50 min. If you doubt your oven accuracy, like I do mine place a heat thermometer in and adjust the oven accordingly.
  I check at 35min just in case.
  It should be cooked through, still pale and slightly browned around the edges only but not browned on top and believe me 5 min extra is all it takes! See my browned shortbread below 😦
  The semolina shortbread browns quicker than the rice flour shortbread so keep an eye on it and check on it 5 min earlier.

The 5 min difference…this is Too browned 😦

• Once time is up take it out and leave to cool for a min or 2 before you cut it. Cut it with a sharp knife in the tin.

  

  Perfectly pale “blond” shortbread!

• Let it cool some more before taking it out of the tin and laying your biscuits on a wire rack to cool.

Notes:

• Some recipes suggest sprinkling soft brown sugar after it comes out of the oven. I think it’s already got enough sweetness but feel free to sprinkle a tablespoon or 2 if you like.
• If your hands are warm or the kitchen is warm handle the dough as lightly and quickly as possible so you don’t melt the butter.