Walker’s Shortbread

If there is a cookie that Walker loves more than all, it is Walkers Shortbread. When I was at Epcot in May, I made sure to stop into the shop, The Tea Caddy, that sold all forms of it, and he was a happy boy. I can get one or two styles locally but when Walker saw a recipe in a vintage cookbook, well he asked Daddy if they could cook together. Kirk was an awesome Dad and they made a mess and had fresh-baked biscuits.

Oh 1970’s, you were a trippy era 😉

Kirk had found a copy of “Cooking Is Easy when you know how” for 50 cents at the library and picked it up for the boys. 1974 printing, meaning…it is a year younger than me. Sheesh. Pure 70’s gold. So gold, there isn’t even a copy being sold on Amazon 😉

Shortbread

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter, diced
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour

Directions:

Heat oven to 325°.

Using the teaspoon of butter, spread it on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle over this the 1 Tablespoon flour.

Sift the 1½ cups flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Add in the butter and rub into the flour, until the mixture is very crumbly and has no large lumps.

Mix in the sugar, and using your hands, squeeze the mixture together until it forms a large ball.

Lightly flour a work surface. Roll the dough out to about ½” thick, and forms a rectangle. Neaten the edges with a paring knife (save these pieces).

Using spatulas, lift the dough onto the prepared baking sheet.

Using a thin knife, score shapes into the dough, but not going all the way through. Cut into rectangles or squares, as desired. If desired, prick holes all over with a fork. If you want, take the leftover trimmings and shape into cookies, or use cookie cutters.

Put the sheet into the oven, and bake it for 45 minutes to one hour, until the shortbread is golden brown, and firm when removed from the oven.

Let shortbread cool for 10 minutes. Finish scoring the shortbread (with a thin knife or a pastry bench scraper), transfer to a cooling rack.