English Shortbread Recipes

SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Line a baking sheet with greaseproof (parchment) paper. Sift the flour and rice flour into a medium mixing bowl. Add the sugar and mix.
• Cut butter into pieces and rub into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture begins to bind together. Knead into soft dough.
• Roll the dough into an 8 inch round (or for exact round, mold it in an 8 inch cake pan). Place on baking sheet. Using a fork, prick top and make tine marks along edge. Using a table knife, score top with wedge marks. (This is where it will break when cooled)
• Bake 45 minutes or until pale golden in color. Sprinkle a little superfine sugar over top and cool on baking sheet. Cut into wedges. Keeps for weeks in airtight tin.

REAL ENGLISH SHORTBREAD OR 123 SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Beat sugar into the softened butter. ( I leave this mixture on the counter for half an hour so that the sugar dissolves into the butter properly. Then pour this into the flour and beat until mixture is white.
• drop by spoonful onto parchment papered cookie sheet place a christmas cherry on top and bake at 300-325 until pale brown. (not sure exactly how long, probably 10- 15 minutes.
• You might want to double the recipe on this one, because you'll end up not being able to put these down.

SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter and 1 cup of sugar until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
• Roll the dough 1/2-inch thick and cut with a 3 by 1-inch finger-shaped cutter. Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• When the cookies are cool, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Put 3 ounces of the chocolate in a glass bowl and microwave on high power for 30 seconds. (Don't trust your microwave timer; time it with your watch.) Stir with a wooden spoon. Continue to heat and stir in 30-second increments until the chocolate is just melted. Add the remaining chocolate and allow it to sit at room temperature, stirring often, until it's completely smooth. Stir vigorously until the chocolate is smooth and slightly cooled; stirring makes it glossier.
• Drizzle 1/2 of each cookie with just enough chocolate to coat it.

ENGLISH SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Mix the butter and sugar together until light and creamy.
• Gradually work in the flour (Mixture will be crumbly).
• Press mixture into a greased 9" x 13" pan.
• Prick all over with a fork (Dip fork in some flour before pricking shortbread).
• Sprinkle with a teaspoon of sugar (Optional).
• Put into oven for about 20 minutes, or until pale golden.
• When cool, cut into bars.

TRADITIONAL ENGLISH SHORTBREADS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 160°C/gas 3.
• Lightly grease baking tray or place a piece of baking paper over the tin (to stop the unlikely event of the Shortbread sticking).
• Place sifted flour and sugar into bowl and mix together.
• Dice the margarine and gradually rub into flour until breadcrumbs.
• Add vanilla essence and carry on rubbing in with fingertips.
• When the mixture sticks together, place on floured workspace and gently knead until a soft ball.
• Roll out until 1.5 cm in thickness, then cut into Shortbread fingers or petticoat tails. (Using a biscuit cutter is a good way to get a more defined shape)
• Prick all over with a fork or a cocktail stick and (for petticoat tails) mark the edges as well.
• Place in the oven for 15-20 mins and then leave to cool. (Make sure you take the Shortbread out when it is starting to darken round the edges of the biscuit)
• Sprinkle caster sugar over the biscuits (after fully cooled).