Scotch Shortbread

8th cookie in the series. This is a REALLY impressive cookie. It's incredibly simple to make, but the taste is unique and memorable.

1 cup butter

1/2 sugar

2 cups flour

3/4 cup rice flour

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Directions:

Let me say that I've tried a good number of shortbread recipes. This one has that certain "something" that makes it unique. It has four simple ingredients. I found the rice flour in the natural food section of my local grocery, not in the baking aisle. I used to have to really search, Whole Foods and places like that. Not any more. :)

This dough needs to be baked as soon as it made, so don't chill this dough.

Preheat oven to 400*F.

Cream the butter and sugar. Gradually add in the flour and rice flour. It's not a wet dough. Go slow or the mixer will throw it all out at you. You can knead it in like bread dough if you are so inclined.

Pat the dough out on the counter. You are aiming for about 5 inches wide and 3/4 inch thick. A bit thinner is ok.

I use the ruler for measuring as well as helping to make the sides of my rectangle flat. Watch the pictures. below. Then cut into the smaller rectangles as pictured. Peirce with a fork like I show here. Don't neglect this step. This design "says" Shortbread. :)

Lift with small spatula, separate into pieces and bake 8-10 minutes on parchment lined sheets. They puff up and elongate while baking. Leave room between the cookies. 

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Step By Step:

Rice Flour, the magic ingredient. The brand is not important. 

This is the finished dough. It looks crumbly. But watch...

I dumped it out onto the counter.

I've done nothing more than pushing it together. It's a lovely soft dough, so easily worked. Do not chill this dough before baking.  I've made a double batch, so I'll cut this into two balls of dough.

OK, just eyeball it...

OK, aiming for 5 inches across... this will do. I just patted it out with my hand. I use the edge of the ruler to push it flat when it gets out of line.

It's between 1/2 and 3/4 inch thick... ok.

First cuts. In half lengthwise and then those halves cut again, lengthwise. 4 strips.

Then start on one side and start cutting strips about 3/4 inch wide. Not too big... They grow in the oven.

Admit it, you've been wanting to poke something all day. Now is your chance. The cookies should be "just" wide enough to fit the fork, two pokes per cookie. :)

Separate them for baking. I know that this looks like a LOT of space. But they puff up while baking. 

I thought I'd show you how I just push the sides flat against the ruler. It's a fairly amiable dough, but it's fragile. It crumbles if you say a harsh word. You'll see. Easy to work with, just go slow. Wait till it melts in your mouth... then you'll understand the fragile part. :)

I tried to get a shot of the cookies as they come out of the oven. They are barely browned on the edge by the pan. If they are "browned" you've baked too long. This is another reason why I like baking on parchment paper. If you have a cookie that really shouldn't brown, how can you tell when it's sitting on a dark pan? It's easy to see if it's sitting on white paper. I can't tell you all the reasons why I love using parchment and would never go without it again.

I turned one on it's side so you could see how delicately it browned underneath. DO try this recipe. The whole thing took 10 minutes to whip up and it bakes in no time at all. And to add the squarish shape to your cookie assortment is a great idea too. I hate the thought of everything on the cookie plate being uniform.