The best shortbread recipe

It's always nice to take something with you when when visiting friends, and I often make these little bite sized all butter shortbread biscuits. I cooked up a batch today, which filled the house with a gorgeous smell of baking. They were sprinkled with castor sugar as soon as they came out of the oven, and many were munched by my kids while still warm.

4oz 110g butter

2oz 50g castor sugar

6oz 175g plain flour

extra castor sugar for dusting

Oven 300 F, 150 C, (130 fan), Gas mark 2

Cream together the butter and sugar.

Add the flour - the mixture will be very dry and crumbly.

Roll out to 5 or 6mm thick, and cut out biscuit shapes. 

(At this time of the year, I often do little Christmas tree shaped ones.)

Bake for 30 mins.

Sprinkle with castor sugar while warm.

Place on a wire rack to cool.

The biscuits are quite soft while they are warm, and develop their crunch as they cool.