Shortbread

This is adapted from Food Network. Prep time INCLUDES 45 min of chilling time. True shortbread should only have 3 ingredients: sugar, butter, oat flour so you can omit the rest of the ingredients if you like. You can use any type of flour here (try almond for gluten-free shortbread). If you don't have caster (superfine) sugar, use powdered or regular cane sugar but make sure you cream the sugar in butter until it is no longer granular. The key is to coat every flour particle with fat so that gluten can't form, resulting in crumbly texture. ALWAYS use regular full fat stick butter. Margarine will not yield the same texture. This would make an amazing crust for cheesecake or served with ice cream and strawberries!

• Ready In: 1 hr 45 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup caster sugar
• 1⁄2 cup butter (softened)
• 1  cup flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Cream softened butter and sugar until no lumps remain.
2. Add vanilla and salt to butter and sugar mixture. Blend till smooth.
3. Add flour in increments and blend till smooth.
4. Pat down in a buttered 8 inch round pan.
5. Chill in refrigerator for 45 minute.
6. Bake in lower rack of oven, 300 degrees, 45 min until light golden brown on top.
7. Cut into 8 wedges while still hot. Cool before serving. It will fall apart if you try to handle it hot!