Crisp, buttery, melt-in-the-mouth biscuits made with just three ingredients — flour, butter, and sugar — baked to pale gold perfection.
Instructions
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1
Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
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2
Sift in flour and salt, mix until just combined into a smooth dough. Do not overwork.
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3
Press into a buttered shortbread mould or 20cm round tin. Prick all over with a fork.
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4
Chill for 30 min. Score into wedges or fingers.
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5
Bake at 150°C (300°F) for 40-45 min until pale golden — shortbread should never brown.
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6
Dust with caster sugar while warm. Cool in the tin before cutting along score lines.
Did You Know?
Mary Queen of Scots was particularly fond of shortbread and is credited with popularising petticoat tails — the fan-shaped wedge form of shortbread.
The Story Behind Scottish Shortbread
Shortbread evolved from medieval Scottish biscuit bread, where leftover bread dough was enriched with butter and sugar, then baked until crisp. By the 16th century it had become a luxury reserved for special occasions. The high butter content made it expensive, so it was associated with Christmas, Hogmanay, and weddings. Today Scottish shortbread is exported worldwide and protected by tradition.
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