SCOTCH SHORTBREAD - SIMPLY DELICIOUS

My love for this cookie is a long time passion, how can simple ingredients transform into great cookie? You don’t need anything more than butter sugar and flour to make shortbread. The shortbread recipes are a lot, anyone seen to have their own favorite, and this one is mine. This recipe comes from:.................. the thin book which has a lot if great simple recipes. Ok, I don’t talk about the book today, Haha. Most of you should have all these ingredients in your pantry (if you love to bake all of them are basic). Why don’t give this simple cookie a try, you may fall in love with them, like I do.

SCOTCH SHORTBREAD

MAKES 27 BARS

1 cup (8oz/250 g)	unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup (1oz/30 g)	confectioners’ (icing) sugar
¼ cup (2 oz/60 g)	granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling
2 teaspoons	vanilla extracts (essence)
1½ cups (7½ oz/235 g)	all-purpose (plain) flour
¼ teaspoon	salt

Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).

Have ready an ungreased 9-inch (23-cm) square baking pan.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on high speed, cream the butter until fluffy and pale yellow. Add the confectioners’ sugar and the ¼ cup granulated sugar and continue beating until the mixture is no longer gritty when rubbed between your finger and thumb. Beat in the vanilla.

Sift the flour and salt together onto a sheet of waxed paper. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed or stir with a wooden spoon just until blended.

Using floured fingertips, press the dough evenly into the pan. Sprinkle evenly with the 1 tablespoon granulated sugar.

Bake the shortbread until the edges are golden, about 1 hour.

Remove the pan from the oven and immediately use a thin, sharp knife to cut the shortbread into strips 3 inches by 1 inch (7.5 cm by 2.5 cm). Use a toothpick or the tines of a fork to decorate the shortbread with a pattern of dots. Let the strips cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes before transferring them to the rack to cool completely.