Scottish shortbread
You can’t argue with the classics and this traditional recipe is light, crisp and sweet in all the right places!
Ingredients
• 250g butter, softened
• 1 cup pure icing sugar, sifted
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 21⁄4 cups plain flour
• 1⁄4 cup rice flour
• Extra flour, for kneading
• 1 eggwhite, whisked
• 1 Tbsp white sugar
Method
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Preheat oven to 160°C. Line 2 oven trays with baking paper and draw an 18cm circle in centre of each sheet.
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Put butter, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until light and creamy. Sift plain flour over butter mixture and stir until a soft dough forms. Add rice flour and stir until well combined. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.
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Halve dough. Gently press each half into a flat disc and transfer to centre of circles on baking paper. Gently press out with your fingers to form 1.5cm-thick 18cm rounds.
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Using your fingertips, pinch edge of each round to form a frill. Using a large knife, score 12 triangles in each round, without cutting through dough. Refrigerate for 10 minutes or until firm.
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Brush rounds with eggwhite and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 5 minutes. Swap trays and bake for a further 15 minutes or until firm to touch. Cool completely on trays. Cut into pieces and serve.
