Scottish Shortbread

So I was watching Gordon Ramsay’s Ultimate Christmas and saw him make a pretty simple shortbread recipe. I really wanted to make it, but a less expensive and wasteful version. It goes really well with tea or coffee in the winter afternoons. This version is a more rustic feel to it and is a bit crumbly, but really buttery.

Here are the ingredients needed for this recipe:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup rice flour or cornstarch
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup frozen unsalted butter
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)

Step 1: Take out an 8-in. tart pan with a removable bottom (Since I don’t have that I’ll be using an 8-in. cake pan)

Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, rice flour, salt and sugar together.

Step 3: Take the frozen butter and grate it over the flour mixture (you can add the vanilla extract at this time)

Step 4: With your fingertips, work the butter into the flour by lifting small handfuls and rubbing the butter and flour together. Do this until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. (do not form a dough)

Step 5: Evenly press the shortbread into the tart pan, smoothing the top as much as possible.

Step 6:Place shortbread in freezer for 10-15 minutes.

Step 7: Preheat oven to 300°F with the rack in the center of the oven.

Step 8: Score the top of the shortbread, by slightly cutting the top of the shortbread creating 8 or 16 triangles. (will flake don’t worry about it)

Step 9: Press a thumbprint at the edge of each triangle.

Step 10: Prick the surface shortbread with a fork.

Step 11: Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until light golden/biscuit color.

Step 12: Allow to cool slightly in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes

Step 13: With a sharp knife cut all the way through the score marks on the shortbread (do this while shortbread is still quite warm)

Step 14: Allow shortbread to cool completely in pan on wire rack before removing from pan.

Notes:

1. If you have overly warm hands you can place the flour into the refrigerator to reduce melting of the butter