Scottish Shortbread

About This Recipe

Scottish shortbread is one of the world's most perfect biscuits, its recipe unchanged for centuries: one part sugar, two parts butter, three parts flour. The magic lies entirely in the quality of these three ingredients and the care taken not to overwork the dough. Shortbread was historically a luxury, baked only at Christmas and New Year (Hogmanay), when it was given as a gift to bring good luck. The most famous regional shapes are the round 'petticoat tails' from Edinburgh and the thick 'fingers' associated with Walker's of Aberlour in Speyside. Eaten with a cup of tea or alongside whisky, it is Scotland's most internationally recognisable food.

Ingredients

Serves 16

• 225 gunsalted butter, at room temperature (best quality possible)
• 110 gcaster sugar, plus extra for dusting
• 340 gplain flour, sifted
• 0.25 tspfine sea salt

Instructions

1. 1

   Cream butter and sugar

   Beat the softened butter and caster sugar together with a wooden spoon or electric beater until pale and very well combined, about 3–4 minutes. Do not rush this step.

2. 2

   Add flour

   Sift in the flour and salt. Bring together gently with your hands until a cohesive dough forms. Do not knead — work it just until it holds together. Overworking makes tough shortbread.

3. 3

   Shape

   For fingers: press the dough into a lightly floured 20 x 30 cm baking tin to about 1 cm thickness. Use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface. Prick all over with a fork and mark into fingers with a knife.

4. 4

   Chill

   Refrigerate the shaped shortbread for 20–30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan / 300°F) during this time. Chilling helps the biscuits hold their shape.

5. 5

   Bake

   Bake for 25–30 minutes until the shortbread is pale golden — it should not be brown. Remove from the oven and immediately re-cut the finger shapes and dust lightly with caster sugar while still warm.

6. 6

   Cool

   Leave in the tin to cool completely before removing. The shortbread will firm up significantly as it cools. Once cold, separate along the cut lines.

Variations

• •

  Lavender shortbread: add 1 tsp dried culinary lavender to the dough.

• •

  Orange shortbread: add the finely grated zest of 1 orange.

• •

  Chocolate dipped shortbread: dip cooled fingers halfway in melted dark chocolate.

Storage

Store in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Shortbread also freezes very well — freeze baked and cooled fingers for up to 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions