Vanilla Shortbread

Shortbread is such a delightfully buttery and crumbly biscuit - or cookie - and a favorite at Christmas time.

There are all sorts of recipes for shortbread out there and everyone has one that they think works best. For me it's this one. Any recipe that is around 1 part sugar, 2 parts butter, and 3 parts flour is bound to work a treat!

 I like to add a small amount of vanilla to my recipe to add a little more delicious. You can go on all sorts of tangents - try adding some chocolate chips, or even earl grey tea.

Shortbread is another holiday time treat that makes a great food gift. It keeps well and is loved by almost everyone.

Unlike a lot of biscuit (cookie) doughs, a shortbread dough is very crumbly until it has been lightly kneaded to bring it all together, so if you think your mixture is too crumbly then don't add anything extra to bind it together - it will come together when kneaded!

Vanilla Shortbread

Makes about 20 pieces

250 g butter, softened

1 Cup icing sugar (confectioners sugar)

2 Cups plain flour

1 Cup cornflour

2 tsp vanilla extract

150 g white or milk chocolate for dipping

Sprinkles, M&M's, Crushed Candy Cane to decorate

1. Preheat the oven to 150C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Cream the butter together with the sugar until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Add the vanilla and mix well.

3. Sift the cornflour and flour into the butter mixture and combine everything. When combined, tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough until it all comes together.

4. Roll out into  a rectangle about 0.5 cm thick. Cut into even portions or cut out shapes with a cookie cutter. Place on the baking tray and gently prick each biscuit with a fork.

5. Bake for approximately 30 minutes, until the shortbread is lightly golden on top. Remove from the oven and cool on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

6. When cooled, melt chocolate and dip each biscuit and decorate as desired.