groceries


 

almond shortbread

An amount of 00 flour
Half butter to flour
Half sugar to butter

(I normally do 8oz flour, 4oz butter, 2oz sugar)

Few drops of almond extract or a couple (not more) of finely-grated bitter almonds if you have them.

Cream the softened butter with the sugar, add the extract/almonds and the sifted flour, mix to combine all the ingredients in a mass.  If they don't combine easily, add a little more butter - flour varies from batch to batch - then roll out and cut into biscuits, prick each biscuit with a
fork several times for traditional pattern and to ensure no rising, place
on top-quality Lakeland baking sheet purchased to save on postage, GM4 or
equivalent for about 15-20 minute depending on oven.  They should be
an even, pale straw colour.  Lift onto cooling rack placed on a tea-tray
(to catch the residue of the caster sugar with which you generously dredge the biscuits when cool).

If you haven't got 00 flour, use ordinary plain flour, but substitute a
couple of tablespoons of the flour for either rice flour or cornflour.

Depending on your tastes in these matters, you can also shove a half a
glacé cherry in the centre of each biscuit before baking, for
almond-cherry shortbread.  Or mix in a packet of plain chocolate chips.

The thickness of shortbread is a personal thing - I don't like mine too
'wodgy' so tend to get 2 dozen biscuits out of a batch made with 8oz flour - if you prefer them quite thick you'll get fewer biscuits and they'll
need longer cooking.

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posted by valerie on 20 May 06 - 5519 views


recipes from valerie