Australian Table
Ingredients
Method
1.Preheat oven to 160°C / 140°C fan forced. Using an electric mixer, cream butter until it resembles whipped cream. Add sugar gradually, beating until light and fluffy. Work in flour gradually, until a dough forms. Knead dough for 5 minutes, until very smooth.
2.Halve dough and press each half into a 24cm round on baking trays, or in flan rings or sandwich pans. Make smaller, thicker rounds, if you like. With the ‘heel’ of hand, push dough out until very smooth, then smooth over surface with a rolling pin or by hands if covered with plastic wrap.
3.Crimp edges by pressing edge of pastry with finger and then pinching edge together. If using a flan ring or sandwich pan, use a fork to decorate edges.
4.Using a 7cm round biscuit cutter, cut a circle in centre of round. Cut round into 12 wedges, from circle to outer edges. Prick shortbread in a pattern with a fork. Dust lightly with extra caster sugar.
5.Bake for 40 minutes, until very lightly coloured and crisp. Cool completely on trays or in pans and store in an airtight container. Break into wedges to serve.
If you like shortbread that melts in the mouth, use 1 cup of icing sugar instead of the caster sugar and substitute 1 cup of the plain flour with cornflour. We’ve shaped our shortbread into “petticoat tails”, one of the traditional Scottish ways. It’s thought this recipe was brought from France by Mary, Queen of Scots. Its French name, “petits gateaux tailles”, means “little cakes cut off”. The name came to be pronounced as it sounded to the Scots and English.
Note
