SHORTBREAD Shortbread is well known as a traditional Scottish food. Although it is sweet, the butter gives it a most pleasant flavour and it is worth trying, even if you do not generally eat a lot of cakes and biscuits. Ingredients 1 pound plain flour 1/2 pound cornflour 1 pound butter 1/2 pound icing sugar

Don't attempt to make this with margarine. You need real butter. Icing sugar is a fine powdery sugar readily available in the shops. Coarser granulated sugar will not work so well.

Method

My friend Esther has given me her simple recipe. However, it uses a food processor (or blender) so I include a fuller recipe first for those of us who will be making shortbread by hand!

A. Conventional method

1. Allow the butter to warm up to room temperature.

2. Place the plain flour and cornflour in a large mixing bowl.

3. Place the butter in the bowl and cut it into small pieces with a knife.

4. Using you fingertips, rub the mixture between your thumbs and fingers. The butter and flour will mix together. Keep going until no lumps of butter are left. You should have a fine, even, crumbly mixture.

5. Add the icing sugar and stir it all together.

6. Spread a little butter very thinly onto the surface of a shallow baking tray to stop the shortbread sticking.

7. Pour the mixture into the baking tray. Spread it out evenly and press it down firmly so it is about 1 1/2 to 2 cm deep.

8. Pre-heat the oven to 160 degrees centigrade, 325 degrees fahrenheit, Gas mark 3.

9. Place the shortbread in the hot oven and bake it for 40 to 45 minutes (the time varies according to the thickness of the shortbread).

10. Allow it to cool. It may be slightly easier to cut it into pieces just before it has completely cooled.

B. Quick method for those with blenders or processors

1. Place the plain flour, cornflower and icing sugar in the food processor.

2. Use a very gentle heat to melt the butter. You do not want the butter to become hot. You only want to melt it.

3. Pour the melted butter into the mixture.

4. Mix it all together in the processor.

5. Continue using steps 6 - 10 from the recipe above.

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