shortbread recipe

shopndrop

I always add some semolina to mine as I find it gives the biscuits a slightly more crunchy texture but still melt in the mouth.

Penelope_Penguin

Hello, I've had to delete a message, due to copyright issues. The link to the recipe is here

I'll add this thread to the existing shortbread thread to keep ideas together.

Penny. x

financially_gaga

Hello lovely people,

Been lurking and 'borrowing' ideas for budgeting, cooking, cleaning etc for a while now so thank you to you all for being such a wonderful help :beer:

I have a question re shortbread - found several recipes that all ask for flour, sugar and butter. However, some state plain flour and some state SR flour. The recipes with plain flour do not ask for baking powder or anything else.

So...which turns out better, plain or SR flour? Just found out my sister-in-law is expecting and want to make her a congrats basket.

Thank you in advance,
Rach x

p-pincher

Hi

ive always used plain flour and with no added baking powder it's always worked out fine. i ve got some recipes somewhere calling for rice flour but i've never bothered with these as butter sugar and plain flour work brilliantly.

Good luck!

jackieglasgow

Plain flour every time, I'd also recommend you replace 1 oz with cornflour if you have it for a smoother finish, and with the sugar replace 1/4 with icing sugar if you have it for the same reason. Works every time for a crumblier lighter texture. I know with some biscuit recipes you can use S/R flour for this result but it just doesn't work for shortbread (although if you're desperate and don't have any plain flour it wouldn't be a disaster!) HTH

financially_gaga

Thank you, plain flour it is then. The second variation in the recipes seem to be when to cut the slices - one says cut whilst hot but the other says to let cool and then cut.

Can i make little biscuit-type rounds or does this work best as a traybake?

As you can tell, novice baker! :A

jackieglasgow

I usually make mine as individual rounds or petticoat tails, which is the traditional way of making them, form into a circle, mark into six or eight slices (like a pizza?) and then crimp the edges with your fingers and spike the central flat area with a fork. These should be broken where they have been marked. We Scots regard it as almost sacreligious to cust petticoat tails! Otherwise, if you make it in a slab cust when cooled but not cold.

ETA - I've found a picture of them as I'm not sure my description is too great!

http://mykuching.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/shortbread_shape.jpg

Edinburghlass_2

I pop along to the biscuit factory and buy a huge bag of broken shortbread for £1.20, takes about 10 minutes

SUESMITH_2

Edinburghlass wrote: »

I pop along to the biscuit factory and buy a huge bag of broken shortbread for £1.20, takes about 10 minutes

not the same, and i bet not as nice as making your own

Trishh_2

This tastes like REAL shortbread, really lovely. I originally got it from another poster on here but was so long ago I can't remember who It's a WI recipe and it's the most authentic one I've tried.
[FONT=&quot]Shortbread (Women's Institute recipe[/FONT][FONT=&quot]) [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]225g (8oz) softened butter [/FONT][FONT=&quot]
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]115g (4oz) icing sugar [/FONT][FONT=&quot]
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]225g (8oz) plain or SR flour[/FONT][FONT=&quot]
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]115g (4oz) cornflour [/FONT][FONT=&quot]
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]caster sugar to dredge [/FONT][FONT=&quot]

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Cream butter and sugar, then blend in flour and cornflour. Grease a Swiss roll tin and press mixture in firmly. Bake at 150 degrees c (fan oven) for 40-50 mins until golden in colour. Leave to cool in the tray for 10 mins and dredge with caster sugar. Cut into fingers and put on wire rack to cool totally[/FONT].

It must be the fineness of the cornflour & icing sugar that make the difference.... it's (far too) gorgeous!