Shortbread
Buttery, crumbly shortbread pressed into two tins, baked low and slow, and cut into wedges or strips while still warm.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Makes
- 24 wedges or strips (2 tins)
From King Arthur Baking, by PJ Hamel
Ingredients
- 227 g salted butter, at cool room temperature
- 113 g confectioners' sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp almond extract, or another flavouring (optional)
- 240 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp water, only if needed (optional)
Method
- Heat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Lightly grease two 23 cm (9 inch) round or 20 cm (8 inch) square cake tins. If you're worried about sticking, line them with baking paper and grease the paper.
- In a medium bowl, beat the butter, sugar and extracts together, then beat in the flour. It may seem dry at first, but keep beating until a stiff dough forms. If needed, dribble in up to 1 tbsp of water to bring it together.
- Divide the dough in half (about 300 g each) and press each half into a tin, smoothing the surface with your fingers or a small rolling pin. If it sticks to your fingers, cover it with cling film and press through that, then remove the film.
- Prick the dough all over with a fork, in a random pattern or a design. This lets steam escape and stops the shortbread bubbling.
- Bake for about 35 minutes, until light golden brown across the top and deeper golden around the edges.
- Turn the shortbread out onto a clean work surface and cut it straight away, while warm, because it won't cut cleanly once cool. Use a pizza wheel or sharp knife to cut each round into 12 wedges, or each square into 4 smaller squares and then each of those into thirds, to make 12 strips per tin.
- Move to a rack to cool. Serve as they are, or decorated however you like.
Notes
- Store well wrapped for up to a week, or freeze for longer. The flavour improves as the shortbread ages.