Scottish Shortbread

Method

1. Take the butter out 30 minutes ahead so a finger presses into it easily. Preheat the oven to 160 °C (140 °C fan) and line a 15×15 cm tin with baking paper. No tin that size? Shape the dough into a rectangle of the same size on a lined tray.

   oven

2. Put the butter, sugar and salt in a bowl and beat with a wooden spoon for 2 min, until smooth and slightly paler. Don't whip it fluffy; too much air makes the shortbread spread in the oven.

   Add in this stepUnsalted butter, softened 80 gCaster sugar 40 gSalt 1 pinch

3. Sift in the flour and rice flour and cut them in with the spoon until the mixture looks like crumbs, then press gently with your hand to bring it together into one dough. Stop as soon as it holds: kneading develops gluten and makes it tough.

   Add in this stepPlain flour 110 gRice flour or cornflour 20 g

4. Press the dough into the tin with your fingers and the back of a spoon to an even 1 cm thickness and smooth the top. With a knife, mark fingers halfway through the dough, 4 fingers per serving, and prick each one 2 or 3 times with a fork. Chill for 15 min so the shape stays sharp.

5. Bake in the oven for 32 min. It is done when the edges are just pale golden and the middle is still pale; browned shortbread tastes scorched rather than buttery. As soon as it comes out, sprinkle the sugar evenly over the hot surface.

   Add in this stepCaster sugar, for sprinkling 5 g

   oven

6. While it is still warm and soft, cut right through along the marks. Leave in the tin for 15 min, then lift it out on the paper onto a rack to cool completely; it firms up and becomes crisp as it cools. Stored airtight, it keeps well for about a week.