Culinary Travel: Scottish Shortbread

Shortbread, historically speaking, was an expensive luxury and for ordinary people, shortbread was a special treat reserved just for special occasions such as weddings, Christmas and New Year. However, this special luxury is a simple recipe you can make in your own home.

Ingredients

7 ounces all-purpose flour
2 ounces sugar
4 ounces butter
1 pinch salt (small)

Directions

Sift/sieve the flour into a bowl and add the pinch of salt. Put aside for the moment.
Using butter, grease the baking tray well and put it aside for the moment. 

Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit

Put the butter (if using unsalted butter then add a pinch of salt to it) into a medium-size mixing bowl and mash it with a fork until it is soft and creamy without lumps. But don't let your hand heat warm it so much it starts to get runny. If you do, then put the bowl complete with butter & fork into the fridge for 5 - 10 minutes to cool it, then take it out and mash quickly again until smooth and creamy with no lumps.

Add the sugar and mix it in well, and quickly.

Add the salted flour a very little at a time - mixing it in with the fork to start with, but do this quickly.

Knead well (on a very lightly floured surface). Knead for several minutes, the longer you knead, the better the shortbread will be. Try kneading for anything up to 10 minutes. What is very important is: Don't allow the mixture to become too warm from your body heat whilst kneading. If it does, put it into the fridge for a couple of minutes to chill it slightly before resuming. If you do find the need to chill it, then knead it for at least a minute or so before rolling it.

Roll the mixture out to shape and size of the tray. For fingers, roll out to about 1/2 inch thick or perhaps even slightly thicker (this sounds awfully thick, but it is important as if you go thinner it will affect the texture, and amazingly, the taste). 

For fingers: prick all over with a fork and put it into baking tray. Do try to use one that can fit exactly, or one that at least three sides of the mixture fit snugly against, as any outer edges that don't butt right up against the sides of a tray tend to get a bit over-baked.

Bake until golden brown for about 45 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit 

While it is still quite warm in the tray, mark across and cut into finger-shaped pieces, but leave them there in the tray, cut and together until fully cold.

Call Rawhide Travel and Tours and start planning that special vacation or event today. 602-843-5100 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com.

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Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc.
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona  85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
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