Carrisa's Shortbread

THE STORY OF SHORTBREAD

The origin of shortbread dates back to Scotland in medieval times.  Traditionally, shortbread was baked in a large round and served cut into triangles or wedges.

The traditional shortbread recipe is one part sugar, two parts butter, and three parts flour.  The flour that was used to make traditional shortbread was fine oatmeal which is a staple food in Scotland.  Today the commercial versions of shortbread contain wheat flour or even corn and rice flour.

CARRISA'S TRADITIONAL SHORTBREAD

2 scant cups of fine oat flour
1/4 c. butter, cool, but not refrigerated
1/4 c.  sugar
Optional:  rose water for the butter's final rinse

Mix the flour and sugar on a work surface, then dot with pieces of cool butter.  With your fingertips, incorporate the mixture until it resembles bread crumbs.  Then using the palm of your hand, spread out the dough, forcing the flour to bind with the dough.  Gather and repeat three to four times, until you can form a ball of dough.  If the dough remains unworkable and crumbly, sprinkle with 1 - 2 t. of water, and knead again.  Shape into a ball and let rest for 30 minutes in a cool place (think of an unheated Scottish farmhouse.) 

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  On a floured surface, flatten the dough into a disk about a finger thick, and mark off 8 wedges with the tines of a fork pressed clear through the dough.  You can also add decorations with your fork, if you like.  Bake on an un-greased cookie sheet for an hour.  The shortbread should not brown.  When done, remove from oven, cool on a wire rack, break into wedges, and serve with tea.