shortbread recipe

luckys_mum

I normally cream butter and sugar first and then gradually add the flour, and then gather the crumbs into a ball with my fingertips. Let it rest in a plastic bag in the fridge for about 30 mins and then cut into shapes or press into a non stick swissroll tin. Bake for a little longer if pressed into a tin.
Mark into fingers and let cool in the tin before lifting the fingers out.

bunny999

I think you are using too much butter. I use 8ozs of flour, 4ozs of butter and 2ozs of sugar.

illusio

I've always thought that biscuit making costs more than buying, unless you do in huuuuge bulk. How much does it cost to make (ingredients plus cost of cooking?).
200g of shortbread in Asda is only 58p, or only 31p for 400g of digestives in Tesco.
While I love the thought of being mumsie and cooking biscuits, I think I'll save my pennies and effort for main meals only (plus I'm rubbish at baking!!!!).

If you DO want to bake, try the attached link for my favourite site's shortbread recipes
http://www.recipezaar.com/recipes.php?q[]=shortbread&ls=h&Search=Search&s_type=%2Frecipes.php

tessie_bear

could it be that u have over rubbed it and essentially melted the butter ?hence it being soggy....delia has a nice shortbread recipe in her complete cookery collection...sorry dont know how to do links......good luck

MrsWallop

my recipe is :
7 oz softened butter, 4 oz castor sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla essence, 9 oz plain flour, 2 oz rice flour (hard to get - can be subbed with plain flour!)

beat sugar, butter, and vanilla until fluffy. add sifted flour and combine.
I dont put mine in fridge ( i do for pastry, but this works as well without)
oven at 160 for about 25 mins or until browning.

This is a good recipe, and hasnt failed me yet! It is best rolled slightly thicker - i do it to about 1 cm.
Sometimes i press it into a tin to make a large round one, or i do it in shapes for the kids.

The rice flour adds a real kick to it, but i can only get it in holland and barratt now. it goes a long way, but its not as cheap as plain flour, so if you sub it with plain flour, it doesnt affect the quality too much.

HTH xx

pink_princess

I always seem to over do mine.It either looks underdone or to dark.
It must be hard to get right because i can normally cook anything.
I blame my oven lol.

comping_cat

illusio wrote: »

I've always thought that biscuit making costs more than buying, unless you do in huuuuge bulk. How much does it cost to make (ingredients plus cost of cooking?).
200g of shortbread in Asda is only 58p, or only 31p for 400g of digestives in Tesco.
While I love the thought of being mumsie and cooking biscuits, I think I'll save my pennies and effort for main meals only (plus I'm rubbish at baking!!!!).

If you DO want to bake, try the attached link for my favourite site's shortbread recipes
http://www.recipezaar.com/recipes.php?q[]=shortbread&ls=h&Search=Search&s_type=%2Frecipes.php

Buscuits are prob more expensive, but you know what ingredients are in it and home baked def taste better (especially shortbread!!!)

poodlehorse

Another vote for rice flour here, makes all the difference to the finished texture

illusio

catowen wrote: »

Buscuits are prob more expensive, but you know what ingredients are in it and home baked def taste better (especially shortbread!!!)

Oh I'm not disagreeing re the taste! Just the money saving bit. Plus I'm a general hoover unfortunately re biscuits, I don't discriminate on taste!

spendingmad

Thanks all! I think I will bin James Martins Shortbread recipes for one of yours - less butter will be healthier too!! The rice flour addition also looks interesting - may have to make room in the cupboard for more another bag of flour!

Illusio - I know it is not necessarily cheaper to homebake versus 'value' goods but it is certainly cheaper than buying premium (not full of chemicals) biscuits.

Thanks for all your help!