Today, I'm grateful for homemade shortbread--warm and fresh from the oven. It's the small things--especially the small things that involve butter and sugar. Have a wonderful weekend, and thanks for stopping by;).
Here's the simple recipe I use for Classic Shortbread from Brown Bag Cookie Art:
1/2 cup butter at room temperature
1/3 cup powdered sugar (unsifted)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour (unsifted)
Cream the butter until it is light. Cream in the powdered sugar, then the vanilla. Now work in the flour. Knead the dough on an unfloured board until nice and smooth. Spray the shortbread pan very lightly with a non-stick vegetable oil spray. (My shortbread pan is an 8 inch stone octagon, but I think an 8 inch cake pan would work well, too). Firmly press the dough into the shortbread pan. Prick the entire surface with a fork, and bake the shortbread right in the pan at 325 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let the shortbread cool in its pan for about 10 minutes before you loosen the edges with a knife and flip the pan over onto a wooden cutting board. If the shortbread does not come right out, tap one edge of the pan. Cut the shortbread into serving pieces while it is still warm.