Traditional Scotch Shortbread: Irresistibly Buttery

Made with just a handful of ingredients, Scotch Shortbread is "the jewel in the crown" of Scottish baking. Perfectly crumbly, irresistibly buttery and wonderfully delicious, the story of shortbread begins with the medieval 'biscuit bread'. Any leftover dough from bread making was dried out in a low oven until it hardened into a type of rusk. Gradually the yeast in the bread was replaced by butter, and biscuit bread developed into shortbread.

An expensive luxury for ordinary people, shortbread was a special treat reserved just for special occasions such as weddings, Christmas and New Year. Traditionally formed into one of three shapes, shortbreads can be formed into one large circle divided into segments known as 'Petticoat Tails', which refers to the shape of petticoats worn during the reign of Elizabeth I; individual round biscuits called 'Shortbread Rounds' often marked with a decorative wooden stamp; or rectangular shortbread cut into 'Fingers', and marked with a pattern of dots made with a toothpick or tines if a fork. However, any way you cut it, shortbread are sinfully delicious anytime of the year.

Scotch Shortbread

Makes 24

Recipe courtsy of Williams Sonoma

1 cup/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1⁄4 cup confectioners' sugar

1⁄4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 tbsp for sprinkling

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour

1⁄4 tsp salt

Preheat an oven to 300°F. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter on high speed until fluffy and pale yellow. Add the confectioners' sugar and the 1/4 cup granulated sugar and continue beating until the mixture is no longer gritty when rubbed between your thumb and finger. Beat in the vanilla.

Sift together the flour and salt, then gradually add to the butter mixture and mix on low speed or stir with a wooden spoon just until blended. Using floured fingertips, press the dough evenly into an ungreased 9-inch square baking pan. Sprinkle evenly with the 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar.

Bake the shortbread until the edges are golden, about 1 hour. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately use a thin, sharp knife to cut the shortbread into strips 3 inches by 1 inch. Use a toothpick or the tines of a fork to decorate the shortbread with a pattern of dots. Let the strips cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes before transferring them to the rack to cool completely.