Scotland- Shortbread

A Little History:

Shortbread originates from Scotland. It was made as part of a dessert using three ingredients: flour, sugar and butter. The recipe dates back to the 16th century and its name is believed to be given to the biscuit by Mary Queen of Scotts. There are many variations of the recipe such as being placed in a tin, cut into triangles and sprinkled with caraway seeds (these are know as "petticoat tails").

Ingredients:

• 340 grams/ 12 oz unsalted butter, at room temperature 
• 200 grams/ 7 oz sugar, plus a little more for sprinkling
• one teaspoon of vanilla extract 
• 440 grams/ 15 and half oz plain flour
• a twist of salt

Method: 

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Centigrade (or gas mark 4 if you have a gas oven). Mix together butter and sugar until pale and creamy, then add the vanilla.

2. Then sift the flour and the salt into the bowl and beat all the ingredients together until it forms and a dough.

 

3. Put the dough onto a well floured surface and shape into a flat disk (mine was meant to be a flat disk but went a little pear shape!) and then wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. 

 

4. After 30 minutes of chilling, place the dough onto a well floured surface and roll with a well floured rolling pin until 1 cm thick. Then take a cutter of your choice and stamp out the biscuits, the place them on a baking tray with a piece of greaseproof paper, then sprinkle a little caster sugar on the top. 

 

5. Put the biscuits in the oven for 15- 20 minutes (depending on how thick or thin your have made the biscuits they might need to be in the oven for 25 minutes) keep on eye on the biscuits. When they are done they should be slightly brown around the edges and the sugar shouldn't be completely visible. Take them out of the oven and then remove of the greaseproof paper with a palette knife. Leave to cool and serve with a cuppa and your favourite musical (well that's how I like mine anyway!!!) 

 

 

You can lots of different things to shortbread such as lavender, stem ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg. For a more luxurious experience you could dip one end of the biscuit in melted chocolate. You could also make these biscuits and decorate them with small children and immature adults, which will make for a great rainy day activity. They would also make a cute little birthday gift or pick me up for friends and family, place them stacked up in cellophane and tie with some pretty ribbon or string. 

Thank you very much for reading!! Next stop Ireland!!!!!!!!!

Thanks to Ina Garten for the recipe!!! :)