Shortbread is an easy traditional sweet treat to make. If you don’t have your own family recipe to fall back on, here is a great one inspired by Tea at Fortnum & Mason. Rice flour is the secret ingredient that gives the shortbread a nice crisp texture.
Take care not to overwork the dough, otherwise, the butter will become greasy and will give an oily finish to the biscuit. Otherwise, this is a never-fail recipe.
Great for Gifting During the Holidays
Shortbread is great to have around at Christmas. I often will add a couple of fingers to my holiday food gift baskets.
Fortnum & Mason's Never Fail Shortbread
Shortbread is an easy holiday table treat. If you don't have your own family recipe to fall back on, here is a great one inspired by Tea at Fortnum & Mason. Rice flour is the secret ingredient that gives the shortbread a nice crisp texture. Take care not to overwork the dough because the butter will become greasy and will give an oily finish to the biscuit. Otherwise, this is a never-fail recipe.
Servings 14 fingers
Calories 119kcal
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup caster sugar* plus extra to sprinkle
- 1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
- 3/4 cup rice flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 F.
- Lightly butter a 8″ square pan.
- Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Add the flour and rice flour and use a wooden spoon to work all the ingredients together to make a paste. Knead lightly.
Make Fingers
- Press the mixture into the tin, using the back of a spoon to smooth down the surface. Use a table knife to draw a line down the middle vertically, then mark six lines across horizontally to make 14 fingers. Prick each one with a fork.
- Bake for about 30 minutes, then remove from the oven and mark again. Return to the oven and continue to bake for 30 minutes until the mixture is set.
- Mark into the 14 fingers again then sprinkle with a light dusting of sugar. Cool in the tin for about 30 minutes, the fingers should snap right off without cutting again. Carefully remove them from the pan.
Cut into Rounds
- Alternatively you can roll out the dough and cut rounds and place them on a cookie sheet. Bake for 60 minutes.
- Finish cooling the shortbread on a wire rack then store in an airtight container for up to three days.
Notes
*caster sugar is a super fine sugar. If you don’t have any, you can make your own by putting sugar in a blender or food processor.
Nutrition
Serving: 10g | Calories: 119kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 9mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 304IU | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg