There are a zillion recipes for chocolate chip cookies, America’s favorite. Similarly, there are many, many variations for shortbread cookies. I admit that I often buy Walker’s Shortbread Cookies, because they have a fantastic flavor and color.
This recipe harkens to the very first shortbread cookies. It is utter simplicity: butter, sugar, and flour. No egg, no vanilla. Nothing but butter, sugar, and flour.
This cookie is thus strikingly simple, but it does convey a very pure, distinct taste. It’s a lovely cookie to pair with afternoon tea. Or to put alongside some ice cream late at night.
When you make these, the dough will seem a tad odd and you might wonder if it is going to work out. That beaten dough will be quite light, quite fluffy. Once it is refrigerated, it becomes a solid dough that, yes, you can easily roll out.
Shortbread Cookies
Yield: 20 cookies
Ingredients:
- 16 tablespoons (butter
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour, sifted
- ¼ cup rice flour, sifted
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 275°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Beat together the butter and confectioners’ (icing) sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the combined flours. Pat the in a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Working on a lightly floured crumbs surface, roll out the dough to about ½ inch (1 ¼ cm) thick. Cut out cookie shapes, using cookie cutters. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the cookies look set and lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.
Source: I got this recipe from a friend, a xerox from an unnamed cookbook. I’ll track down the source as soon as I can.
Photo Information: Canon T2i, EFS 60mm Macro Lens, F/4 for 1/50th second at ISO‑250