Food & Wine
Classic shortbread cookies
Buttery shortbread is a delicious treat that not many people can turn down. And it’s surprisingly simple to make. Give a batch to someone for a thoughtful, personal gift they’ll love. Just don’t ask them to share.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups plain flour
- ⅔ cup rice flour
- ½ cup caster sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 225gms butter, cold, chopped into cubes
Method:
- Preheat your oven to 150°C and grease two baking trays with melted butter (or line with baking paper).
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, rice flour, sugar and salt. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Turn the mixture onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.
- Roll the dough out to one-cm thickness and use your favourite large cookie cutters to cut shapes. Carefully place the cookies onto your trays and bake for 45 minutes. Be sure to rotate the trays from top to bottom after 20 minutes, and turn them around as well to ensure even baking. You’ll know they’re done when they start to change colour.
- Allow to cool on the trays for an hour. Serve plain, dusted with icing sugar, or drizzled with a little melted chocolate.