
An old recipe form the second edition of Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management from the 1860s. This shortbread is not at all sweet, reflecting the change over time for sweeter-style baking.
Ingredients
- 150 grams butter, softened
- ¼ cup caster or icing sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1½ cups flour, sifted
- 2 tablespoons rice flour or cornflour, sifted
- 12-15 glace cherries, halved
Method
- Preheat the oven to 160ºC. Lightly grease 1-2 baking trays or line with baking paper.
- In a medium-sized bowl, beat the butter, sugar and egg yolk until creamy and well beaten.
- Work the flours into the creamed mixture. Turn out onto a very lightly floured surface and form into a mass.
- Roll out to 0.5-0.7cm thickness. Cut into shapes and place on the prepared trays. Decorate each biscuit with a cherry half.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until lightly golden around the edges.
- Cool on a cake rack before storing in an airtight container.
Cooks Tips
- Do not over-knead the mix as this will produce a tough shortbread. - The additional of an egg adds richness and was predominantly done in Ayrshire, southwest Scotland.
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