Who doesn’t love a nice piece of shortbread? Certainly I have never come across anyone who doesn’t like it. So today I thought I would try to make some, in the traditional petticoat tail shape. That is a round of shortbread, with a pattern and some lines for breaking into pieces. Usually after baking you sprinkle some caster sugar on top as well.
Shortbread is not difficult to make, and has few ingredients, so almost anyone should be able to make it, even if just a basic oblong shape with lines on to make fingers.
It tastes so good and is delicious with a cup of tea, or coffee.
I recommend anyone to make this, particularly those who are just starting out with baking.
Ingredients:
200g (1 1/3)plain flour, based on scooping packed flour into a 250ml cup
60g (5 tbsp)sugar
113g(1 stick) of unsalted butter
a pinch of salt
ice cold water, as needed
Method:
Preheat the oven to 165c/145c Fan/330 F
Place the flour sugar and salt in a bowl and mix together.
Add the butter and rub between the fingers until the butter has mixed in thoroughly with the sugar and flour, into a breadcrumb like consistency.
Bring together by squeezing, adding a tablespoon of ice cold water if necessary, to make a nice smooth dough. Work it until it is not sticky, but no more than that.
Form into a ball and flatten slightly, then roll it out to about an 8 inch circle.
Score lines across the dough, into 8 equal triangles.
Use a fork to make a pattern on each triangle
Use your fingers to push in the edges to make a fluted pattern.
Carefully place in an 8 inch cake tin, or (as I did) use a pastry ring of the same size.
Transfer to a baking tray, lightly floured(or covered with baking parchment).
Bake in the oven for about 40 to 45 minutes until the shortbread has gone a nice golden colour.
Remove from the oven and gently re-score the dividing lines.
Sprinkle over some caster sugar and leave to cool.
Remove from the tin and serve.