Mary Berry Shortbread Food

SHORTBREAD RECIPE

Steps:

• Weigh the flour, sugar and butter and pop them all in a large mixing bowl. Using your finger tips rub everything together gently until you have a fine breadcrumb.
• Knead the mixture gently to bring it all together in a ball of dough. We had to do this for a while to stop the mixture crumbling apart when we tried to roll it out.
• Lightly sprinkle some flour down on your work surface
• Roll your dough out until it is around 5mm (1/4 inch) thick. Using a 5cm fluted cutter, cut circles out and place them on your baking tray.
• Prick each biscuit with a fork and sprinkle them with a little Demerara sugar.
• Pop the baking trays in the oven for 15-20 minutes. They're ready when they are starting to turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.

MARY'S PERFECT SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 160*C/325*F/ gas mark 3.
• Sift the cornflour and flour into a bowl. Rub the butter into the mixture with your fingertips until it resembles fine crumbs. Stir in the sugar. Knead gently until it forms a smooth dough. Shape into a round flat disk.
• Place onto a sheet of baking parchment. Using a rolling pin, roll it out to a disc which is 7 inches in diameter. (18 cm) Gently lift the baking parchment onto a baking sheet. Using your fingers crimp around the edges and prick all over with a fork. Using a sharp knife, score it lightly with a sharp knife into 8 even wedges.
• Chill until firm.
• Bake in the oven for 35 minutes until the shortbread is a pale golden colour. Mark the wedges again and dust lightly with more caster sugar.
• Leave to cool on the baking tray for five minutes, then carefully lift off to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Cut into wedges to serve.

THE VERY BEST SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 160°C/Fan 140°C/gas 3. Lightly grease a 30cm x 23cm roasting or traybake tin. Mix together the flour and semolina in a bowl or food processor. Add the butter and sugar and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture is just beginning to bind together. Knead lightly until the mixture forms a smooth dough. Press the dough into the prepared tin and level it with the back of a spatula or a palette knife, making sure the mixture is evenly spread. Prick all over with a fork, sprinkle over the flaked almonds if using, and chill until firm. Bake for about 35 minutes or until a very pale golden brown. Sprinkle with demerara sugar and leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then cut into 30 fingers. Carefully lift the fingers out of the tin with a palette knife and finish cooling on a wire rack. Store in an airtight tin.

MILLIONAIRE'S SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 4. Line a 20cm x 30 cm tin with baking parchment. Rub the flour and butter together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs then stir in the sugar, vanilla and pinch of salt.
• Tip the mixture into the prepared tin in an even layer, then press the mixture down firmly with the back of a spoon. Bake for 45-50 mins or until light golden brown. Leave to cool completely in the tin.
• For the caramel, put the butter, condensed milk, sugar and syrup in a pan with a pinch of salt. Heat gently until simmering, then whisk for 6 mins until thick and fudgy. Be careful as the caramel will be very hot. Leave to cool for 5 mins, then pour the caramel over the cooled shortbread. Leave to cool completely.
• Stir the dark chocolate and the butter in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water until melted (alternatively heat in the microwave, stirring after every 30 sec blast to make sure it doesn't burn). Once melted and glossy pour the chocolate mixture over the caramel. To decorate, go to the next step, or leave to cool completely then cut into squares or triangles.
• For extra flourish, put melted white chocolate into a piping bag and pipe straight lines over the full length of the shortbread after applying the dark chocolate layer. Turn the tray 90° and drag a skewer through it in long strokes up and down the rows to create a feathered design. Gently shake the tin to settle the chocolate then leave to set completely. Cut into squares or triangles.

EASY MILLIONAIRE'S SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Lightly grease and line a 20-22cm square or rectangular baking tin with a lip of at least 3cm.
• To make the shortbread, mix 250g plain flour and 75g caster sugar in a bowl. Rub in 175g softened butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Knead the mixture together until it forms a dough, then press into the base of the prepared tin.
• Prick the shortbread lightly with a fork and bake for 20 minutes or until firm to the touch and very lightly browned. Leave to cool in the tin.
• To make the caramel, place 100g butter or margarine, 100g light muscovado sugar and the can of condensed milk in a pan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Continually stir with a spatula to make sure no sugar sticks to the bottom of the pan. (This can leave brown specks in the caramel but won't affect the flavour.)
• Turn up the heat to medium high, stirring all the time, and bring to the boil, then lower the heat back to low and stirring continuously, for about 5-10 minutes or until the mixture has thickened slightly. Pour over the shortbread and leave to cool.
• For the topping, melt 200g plain or milk chocolate slowly in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Pour over the cold caramel and leave to set. Cut into squares or bars with a hot knife.

SHORTBREAD BISCUITS

Steps:

• Heat the oven 170C/150C fan/gas 3. Put the flour, butter and sugar into a mixing bowl. Use your hands to combine the ingredients until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs, then squeeze until it comes together as a dough.
• On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to ½ cm thick. Cut the dough into fingers and place on a lined baking tray. Use a fork to create imprints, then sprinkle with the remaining caster sugar.
• Chill the dough in the fridge for 20 mins, then bake for 15-20 mins until golden brown. Remove the shortbread fingers from the oven and leave to cool on the tray for 10 mins.