Traditional Shortbread

mini vienna almond shortbread chocolate bars, topped with gold leaf tipped vienna almonds

Ssshhh, today I'm sharing my secret shortbread recipe...

At Christmas I make Scottish shortbread's that everyone requests year after year, my "secret recipe" originates from the side of the McKenzie's Rice Flour box ;) 

Rice flour is a supermarket line in Australia and is used primarily for "shortbread biscuits/cookies". Shortbread's that contain rice flour have a sandier texture & added crispness that all plain flour shortbread's can't imitate.

Rice flour is finely ground white rice

I also use this shortbread recipe throughout the year, using the crushed biscuits to top fruit crumbles, in layered desserts, ice-cream sundaes or as elements of other recipes including cupcakes.

crumbled shortbread has many uses

Chocolate bars

Today's vienna almond shortbread chocolate bars are comprised of crushed freshly baked shortbread and chopped vienna almonds stirred through melted tempered chocolate and either moulded or left to set in a cake/slice tin until firm; cut into small pieces to serve. I topped each bar with a vienna almond decorated with gold leaf. Caramelised macadamias, crushed shortbread & white chocolate is a nice combination too.

Traditional Shortbread 

Ingredients 

225g (8oz) plain flour (all purpose flour) 

115g (4oz) rice flour (ground white rice)

115g (4oz) castor sugar (superfine sugar)

225g (8oz) butter

1 pinch of salt

Method 

Sift the plain flour, rice flour, castor and salt together. Rub in the butter & knead until a smooth paste forms. Turn onto a floured board, make shape or shapes as desired, prick with a fork. Place on a cold greased baking tray/sheet, cook in a slow oven until pale brown. 

recipe from the side of McKenzie's Rice Flour box

baked plain shortbread

You can tell it's an old school recipe, the box recipe doesn't include baking times, but if you are baking in one round/piece it takes about 45-55 minutes to bake. A slow oven is approximately 150c (300F). 

Sprinkle sugar on top of your shortbreads before baking if desired or add choc chips or sugared ginger to taste if your not using them to make a chocolate bar. 

Baked shortbread's keep for two weeks in an airtight container.

You might also be interested in;

Dan's "Just Hell" decadent chocolate cookies

Happy Baking :)