Scottish Shortbread
Prepare carefully. Work safely. Evaluate honestly.
- Serves / makes
- 6 servings — 12 fingers; 2 each
- Preparation
- 20 minutes
- Cooking
- 30–35 minutes
- Total time
- 50–55 minutes, plus cooling
Heat / oven setting170°C conventional / 150°C fan
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| 150g | |
| 75g | |
| 225g | |
| 1 tsp for finishing |
Tick ingredients as you prepare them. Ticks reset when you reload.
Equipment
- Digital scales and measuring spoons
- Mixing bowls and sieve
- Wooden spoon or electric whisk
- Baking tray or tin, as directed
- Baking paper
- Wire cooling rack
- Oven gloves
- 20cm square tin
- Fork
Method
Prepare
Preheat oven. Line a 20cm square tin with baking paper. Weigh ingredients.
Cream
Beat butter and sugar together until smooth, without whipping in excessive air.
Make dough
Stir in flour and press together gently into a dough. Avoid overworking, which can make shortbread tough. Do not taste raw dough.
Shape
Press evenly into the tin. Mark 12 fingers with a knife and prick the surface with a fork.
Bake
Bake for 30–35 minutes until pale golden and set. Shortbread should not be dark brown.
Cool
Sprinkle with the finishing sugar. Re-mark the fingers while warm, then cool in the tin before lifting out and separating.
Portion for six
Makes 12 fingers; 2 each. Divide evenly between six people.
Food safety
- Wash hands, clean surfaces, tie back hair and use clean equipment. Check use-by dates and ingredient labels before starting.
- Do not taste uncooked dough or batter: raw flour and eggs can carry harmful bacteria. Use oven gloves and take care with hot trays, sugar and steam.
- Cool bakes on a clean rack. Keep plain dry bakes in a clean airtight container; refrigerate any perishable meat, dairy or cream-filled items promptly. Freeze extra portions if needed.
Guidance: Food Standards Agency cooking advice ↗
Nutritional considerations
Butter contributes saturated fat and sugar contributes energy. Make even portions and consider shortbread an occasional food.
Practical skills
Creaming, handling a short dough, portion marking and gentle baking.
Presentation
Use clean serving equipment, divide evenly and wipe the plate or dish edges. Check the finished food against your planned colour, texture and appearance.
Evaluate your practical
Describe the appearance, flavour, texture and a skill you used successfully.
Explain one improvement to the recipe, your timings or your technique.
Classroom adaptation written from the recipe title in your collection. Review portions, ingredients and timings with your teacher before a practical.
Times are approximate. Quantities are for the stated yield; accompanying foods are included only when listed. This learning sheet does not itself award a qualification.