Mary Berry Chocolate Shortbread Recipes

SHORTBREAD RECIPE

Steps:

• Weigh the flour, sugar and butter and pop them all in a large mixing bowl. Using your finger tips rub everything together gently until you have a fine breadcrumb.
• Knead the mixture gently to bring it all together in a ball of dough. We had to do this for a while to stop the mixture crumbling apart when we tried to roll it out.
• Lightly sprinkle some flour down on your work surface
• Roll your dough out until it is around 5mm (1/4 inch) thick. Using a 5cm fluted cutter, cut circles out and place them on your baking tray.
• Prick each biscuit with a fork and sprinkle them with a little Demerara sugar.
• Pop the baking trays in the oven for 15-20 minutes. They're ready when they are starting to turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.

MARY'S PERFECT SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 160*C/325*F/ gas mark 3.
• Sift the cornflour and flour into a bowl. Rub the butter into the mixture with your fingertips until it resembles fine crumbs. Stir in the sugar. Knead gently until it forms a smooth dough. Shape into a round flat disk.
• Place onto a sheet of baking parchment. Using a rolling pin, roll it out to a disc which is 7 inches in diameter. (18 cm) Gently lift the baking parchment onto a baking sheet. Using your fingers crimp around the edges and prick all over with a fork. Using a sharp knife, score it lightly with a sharp knife into 8 even wedges.
• Chill until firm.
• Bake in the oven for 35 minutes until the shortbread is a pale golden colour. Mark the wedges again and dust lightly with more caster sugar.
• Leave to cool on the baking tray for five minutes, then carefully lift off to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Cut into wedges to serve.

THE VERY BEST SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 160°C/Fan 140°C/gas 3. Lightly grease a 30cm x 23cm roasting or traybake tin. Mix together the flour and semolina in a bowl or food processor. Add the butter and sugar and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture is just beginning to bind together. Knead lightly until the mixture forms a smooth dough. Press the dough into the prepared tin and level it with the back of a spatula or a palette knife, making sure the mixture is evenly spread. Prick all over with a fork, sprinkle over the flaked almonds if using, and chill until firm. Bake for about 35 minutes or until a very pale golden brown. Sprinkle with demerara sugar and leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then cut into 30 fingers. Carefully lift the fingers out of the tin with a palette knife and finish cooling on a wire rack. Store in an airtight tin.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE SHORTBREADS

Steps:

• Mix the butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon. Stir in the flour and cocoa, followed by the chocolate chips - you'll probably need to mix it together with your hands at this stage. Halve the dough and roll each piece into a log about 5cm thick. Wrap in cling film and chill for 1 hr or for several days. Can be frozen for up to 1 month.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Slice logs into 1cm-thick rounds, transfer to a baking tray lined with baking parchment and bake for 10-12 mins. Cool on the tray.

HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, sugar and cocoa; add to creamed mixture. Beat until dough holds together, about 3 minutes. , Pat into a 9x4-in. rectangle. Cut into 2x1-1/2-in. strips. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Prick with a fork. , Bake at 300° for 20-25 minutes or until set. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

CHOCOLATE CHIP SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Sieve the flour into a large mixing bowl and add the butter. Rub the butter and flour between your fingers until the mixture looks like crumbs. Stir through the egg yolk, sugar and chocolate chips and squish everything together in the bowl to create a dough. Once it has begun to come together in the bowl tip out on to your work surface and form it into a flattened round puck shape, wrap and chill for 30 mins.
• Preheat the oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment.
• Roll out the dough in between two sheets of baking parchment until its 1cm thick. Remove the top sheet of parchment, and cut into 14 rounds with a 7cm round biscuit cutter. Re-roll any offcuts to make the most from your dough. Carefully transfer the rounds to your baking sheets using a palette knife or spatula, leaving some space in between them. Sprinkle each one with a little sugar. Bake in the oven for 15-20 mins or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 mins before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.