Recipe: Traditional Shortbread and The Shortest Shortbread (2 recipes) for Linda, England (repost)

Hi Linda:-) Here are two recipes that are easy to follow. The first recipe sounds like a good one and the 2nd recipe, which was posted by Olga, is one she uses. Judging from the recipes she has posted in the past, I would think it is likely to result in very, very good shortbread. Good luck!

TRADITIONAL SHORTBREAD
(Originally posted by Earl Watson,Mtl. Canada)

1/2 cup corn starch or 125ml.
1/2 cup icing sugar or 125ml.
1 cup all-purpose flour or 250ml.
3/4 cup butter, softened or 175ml.

Sift together corn starch, icing sugar and flour. With a wooden spoon, blend in butter until soft, smooth until dough forms. Shape into 1 inch (2.5)cm balls. If dough is too soft to handle, cover and chill for 1 hour.

Place (1) 1/2 inches (4cm) apart on a ungreased cookie sheet; flatten with a lightly floured fork. Alternatively, roll dough to 1/4 inch (6mm); cut into shapes with a cookie cutter. Decorate with candied cherries, coloured sprinkles or nuts if desired.

Bake in 300 degrees F (150C) oven for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are slightly brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Make about 4 dozen

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THE SHORTEST SHORTBREAD
(Originally posted by Olga, Ontario, CA)

These are great cookies to give out as special gifts at Christmas time. If you can't find rice flour in your supermarket, try a health or bulk food store.

1 lb. salted butter (must be salted for good flavor)*
*1 cup fruit sugar
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup rice flour

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Butter the cookie sheets or line them with parchment paper.

Cream the butter until light. Gradually beat in the sugar. *Here in the U.S., we would use super or extra fine sugar.

Combine the flours and add to the butter-sugar mixture.

The dough can be patted into the cookie sheets, pricked with a fork, baked and then cut into pieces. Or it can be rolled out and cut with cookie cutters; or it can be formed into balls and pressed down with a fork, glass or potato masher for a more interesting design.

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes until just barely golden.

*The flavour of these cookies depends on salted butter.

**In Canada, fruit sugar is a very light and fine grained sugar that is used for topping fruits, in beverages and for topping shortbread. Fruit sugar can be made by processing 2 cups regular granulated sugar in a blender or food processor for 60 to 90 seconds. Remeasure the sugar after processing (fruit sugar is also usually available at the supermarket).