Traditional Shortbread Fingers – The Irish Baker Abroad
These shortbread fingers are absolutely delicious. They’re a huge hit here at home with the wife and the kids and I’ve also had a lot of positive feedback from followers on the page who gave them a go. They’re simple enough to do so if you happen to have a bit of flour, butter and sugar on hand don’t even think about it and get cracking!
Chris’s Traditional Shortbread Recipe
200g / 1 + 3/4 stick of salted butter
120g / 1/2 cup + 2tbsp of caster sugar
330g / 2 + 3/4 cups of plain flour
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Method
Cream the sugar and the butter in a bowl using the back of a wooden spoon. Add the vanilla extract and mix. Finally add the flour and combine until it begins to resemble fine bread crumbs. Using your hand clump the mixture together, turn it out onto the table and shape it to a ball.
Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Using your hands roll and shape the dough slightly oblong.Transfer it to the baking tray, pat it flat then roll the dough down to a thickness of about 1 1/2 – 2 cm thick. About 14 x 22 cm thick. Using a metal scraper, slice down and divide the dough into 16 equal pieces. Prick each one with a fork vertically leaving 16 holes in each finger. Leave the trimmings on the sides. This will act as a baking tray, adding pressure ensuring that they don’t spread out.
Bake at 150C/300F for 40 minutes
Fan oven 130C/266F
Gas mark 2
Once baked. Cut again. Enjoy!
Notes: Caster sugar in the states is also known as superfine, bakers sugar or bar sugar. You can use more butter if you want. They will spread out more if you do. Chill the dough for about 30-45 minutes then or use a baking pan.
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