Buttery Shortbread

Whenever someone cracks open a tin of traditional biscuits, my little hands are straight onto the shortbread cookies. Delightfully twisted in their pretzel forms and sprinkled with sugar crystals - shortbreads truly are the gem of the biscuit world.

This little number can be used in various ways - topped with cold custard & berries; as the base for your favourite pie; or simply eaten alone.

Introducing:

Buttery Shortbread

140kg Flour (I used rice flour for the hubs' wheat allergy)

60kg Sugar

160kg Butter (cubed at room temp)

1 Egg Yolk (the yellow bit - save the whites for mini meringues)

Dash-o-Salt

1/4tsp Cream of Tartar

In a large bowl, sift the Flour, Sugar, Salt & Cream of Tartar. Next, blend in the Butter until mixture becomes smooth. Lastly, mix in the Egg Yolk until all is well blended. The mixture should be thick and smooth (unlike your traditional pie crust).

Smooth the mixture into the bottom of a well-buttered pie plate, and pop in the oven at 170C for 50 min.

Cool thoroughly before decorating.

And just because I've finally mastered meringue...