Scottish Shortbread Fingers
Shortbread made with melted butter and rice flour.
Servings 36 pieces
Cost 5
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (240 grams)
- 6 tablespoons rice flour (56 grams)
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (114 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
- ½ pound salted butter (240 grams)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
Instructions
- Line a 9-inch square metal pan or a 7x11 inch pan with nonstick foil or parchment paper.
- Combine the all-purpose flour, rice flour, sugar and ginger (if using) in a large mixing bowl.
- Gently melt the butter in a microwave- safe glass measuring cup using 50% power. Try to melt it so that the solids do not separate. That is, once it is very soft and squishy or partially melted, just take it out and stir it.
- Mix the vanilla with the melted butter and let it cool for about five minutes.
- Add the butter to the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon or heavy duty scraper until blended. Transfer mixture to the pan and pat it down flat. Put it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until cold.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Sprinkle top of shortbread with sugar. Place in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until middle appears set and edges are lightly browned.
- Using a fork, poke holes in the warm shortbread. Poke them at intervals and plan on cutting around them.
- Using a razor blade or sharp knife, score the shortbread gently into 32 fingers (or whatever size you want). Do not lift it from the pan at this point.
- Let sit until completely cool, then lift from pan. Use a knife to cut through the areas you lightly scored.
- Store in a tin. These stay fresh for weeks.
Notes
Salt: The shortbread gets its salt from the salted butter, but feel free to add an extra pinch if you like sweet & salty. If you are using unsalted butter, add ¾ teaspoon of salt to the recipe.
If you have an old coffee grinder or spice grinder, make your own rice flour by grinding 2 ounces of white rice
For best results, weigh your ingredients.
Don't over-bake. Edges should be just browned and shortbread should still be pretty soft when you pull it from the oven.
NYT (Version Two) 8-Inch Square Pan: Use 240 grams flour, 36 grams (¼ cup) rice flour, 63 grams sugar (5 tablespoons), 228 grams unsalted butter, ½ teaspoon of salt plus a pinch and use an 8 inch square pan rather than a 9 inch square pan. Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes. You can also make the NYT version with salted butter, but add a pinch of extra salt anyway.