Now so many of us are back to spending time indoors due to local Covid restrictions, we need things to keep us busy through the cold weather. No, we’re not talking about baking banana bread – but shortbread. The best biscuit around.
Luxury artisan bakery and gift business Meg Rivers Bakers of Happiness has shared a recipe for their deliciously buttery shortbread. The simple recipe has just five steps and the result is warm biscuits perfect to go with your tea.
The biscuits will keep for seven to 10 days in an airtight container, the bakery says, or freeze for up to two months. But if you’re anything like us, they’ll be gone in a few days hours.
Ingredients (makes 20):
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165g /11 tablespoons salted butter, firm but not hard
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85g / ½ cup caster sugar
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200g / 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons plain/all-purpose flour
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5 teaspoons cornflour/cornstarch
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35g /1/4 cup rice flour
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A pinch of salt.
Method:
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Preheat the oven to 170°C / 325°F / gas mark 3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
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Sift the flour, cornflour/cornstarch and rice flour into another bowl, then add a quarter of the total flours to the creamed butter and stir in. Add another quarter of the flour and begin rubbing the mixture together using your fingertips. Add the remaining flour and mix again with your fingers.
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Knead gently into a malleable ball of dough. This can also be done by putting all the ingredients in a food processor and blending until it forms a smooth ball of dough.
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Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out until about 1cm/1/2 inch thick (roll a little thinner if you are using the biscuits to make a strawberry dessert). Stamp out discs with the cookie cutter and arrange about 4cm/1 ½ inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Re-roll any leftover dough and cut out discs, as before, until all the dough is used up.
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Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the bases of the biscuits are golden and the tops are almost firm to the touch. Remove the biscuits from the oven and allow them to cool and set on the baking sheet before eating or storing.
