Butter shortbread

Butter shortbread

100 g plain flour

50 g corn flour

50 g caster sugar

100 g butter

Cooking time 30 – 35 minutes

Oven 170C, 325 F, Gas Mark 3

Sieve together the flour and the cornflour. Add the sugar. Rub in the butter. The mixture will become crumbly at first, but continue rubbing in with your fingers until it clings together in heavy lumps.

Turn on to a board or working surface lightly dusted with flour or cornflour and knead lightly.

Roll out to a 20 cm (8 in) circle or rectangle and place on a greased baking sheet.

Prick all over the top with a fork, mark with the knife the shape that you like (look at the picture)

Bake in a very moderate oven for 20 minutes, remove the biscuits from the oven and  remark again deeply with the knife then return it back to the oven until the shortbread is cooked but not browned. Leave on the baking tray for 10 minutes, then lift off and place carefully on a wire rack you can scatter caster sugar over the biscuits immediately when it's cooked.

Cakes Pastries and Bread

By Jennie Reekie