Butter Shortbread

By garciamoss

Ingredients

• 220 g / 1 & 3/4 cups plain / All Purpose flour
• 100 g / 1 cup caster or fine sugar Plus extra for sprinkling on the top.
• 220 g / 1 Cup / 8 oz butter (room temperature)
• 100 g / 2/3 Cup semolina or Ground Rice (not to be confused with rice flour which is like a fine powder)
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Details

Adapted from lovefoodies.com

Preparation

Step 1

Set the oven to 160 C / 310 F /gas 2.
2. Place all the ingredients together in a food processor and mix until the mixture forms a dough (you can also mix by hand with a wooden spoon in a bowl using soft butter).
3. Grease a 20 cm / 8 inch Square tin then place the dough mixture in the tin and pat down so it is evenly spread.
4. Use a fork and prick the surface of the shortbread like in the photo. Then take a knife and score the surface into slices of your choice. OR place the dough on a floured work surface and roll out to approx 1/8 inch thickness. Use a cookie cutter to make your own shapes.
5. Sprinkle the surface with caster sugar and bake for 35 minutes until slightly firm and pale in colour. The shortbread should not go brown. **** If making a thinner cookie, (i.e. 1/8 inch thick, please cook for approx 20 - 25 minutes)
6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes in the baking tin, and whilst it is still warm, you can cut through using a knife to make into fingers (where you placed the score lines), then separate and carefully transfer (use a slicer or palette knife as they might break) to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely. The shortbread will become crunchy once it has completely cooled.
Enjoy with a nice cup of tea!
These will keep in an air tight container for a few days before they become soft.