Shortbread

Shortbread

Ingredients:

1 cup + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup superfine granulated sugar for topping

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325*F.  Butter a 6 X 10 baking dish.

Place the butter in a mixing bowl.  The butter must be soft, the consistency of mayonnaise or whippped cream.  Add the salt to the butter and mix well with a wooden spoon or whisk so that it dissolves before you add the rest of the ingredients.  Sift the flour and cornstarch together into a bowl.  Add the granulated sugar to the butter and mix just until combined. Add the flour mixture and stir just until a smooth dough forms.

Pat the dough evenly into the prepared baking dish.  The dough should be no more than 2/3 inch deep.  Bake until the top and bottom are evenly browned, about 30 minutes.  The middle of the shortbread should remain light.  Let cool on a wire rack until warm to the touch.

Sprinkle the shortbread with the superfine or granulted sugar.  Tip the baking dish so the sugar evenly coats the surface and then tip out the excess sugar.  With a very thin, sharp knife, cut the shortbreaad into rectangular squares, 1/2 in wide X 2 inhes long.  If the cookies have become cold they will not cut well so they must be cut while warm to the touch at this point.  Chill thoroughly before removing from the baking dish.

The first cookie is difficult ro remove, but the rest should come out easily with the aid of a small thin offset spatula.  The cookies will keep in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 2 weeks.