Essential Shortbread
The beauty of shortbread lies in its simplicity. It requires no leavening agents, relying entirely on the quality of your butter and the patience used to incorporate the dry ingredients.
Temperature control is your primary tool.
Use butter that is cool to the touch but pliable. If the butter melts during mixing, the finished dough will be greasy rather than crisp.
- stand mixer or bowl with wooden spoon
- 8-inch square cake pan
- rolling pin
- parchment paper
- fork
What goes in.
- 225gunsalted butter, softened
- 115gcaster sugar
- 340gall-purpose flour
- 1 pinchfine sea salt
Docking the dough
Pricking the surface of the dough with a fork creates steam vents that prevent the middle from puffing, ensuring an even, dense bake.
The method.
Cream the base
Beat the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and the graininess of the sugar has softened. Do not whip too much air into it, or the biscuits will spread.
Add the flour
Sift the flour and salt into the butter mixture. Mix on low speed or by hand until a shaggy, cohesive dough forms; stop as soon as no streaks of flour remain.
Prepare the pan
Press the dough evenly into a parchment-lined 8-inch pan. Use the back of a measuring cup to level the surface.
Dock and chill
Prick the entire surface with a fork. Chill the pan for 20 minutes to firm up the fats before it hits the heat.
Bake
Bake at 325°F (160°C) until the edges are a faint, pale gold and the center is set, usually 45 to 50 minutes.
Slice
Score the shortbread into rectangles while it is still warm from the oven, but leave it in the pan to cool completely before separating.
Other turns to take.
Lemon Zest
Rub the zest of one lemon into the sugar before creaming to release the essential oils.
Brown Butter
Brown the butter first and let it solidify back to room temperature before creaming for a deeper, toasted profile.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use a scale; volume measurements for flour are rarely accurate enough for this specific ratio.
If the dough feels sticky, refrigerate it for another 10 minutes before handling.
Do not overwork the flour or you will develop gluten, turning a sandy biscuit into a tough one.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why did my shortbread spread?
The butter was likely too warm. Always chill the pan before it goes into the oven.
Can I use salted butter?
Yes, but omit the added pinch of salt from the recipe to keep the balance.
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