Not Everyone Likes Cake Shortbread

I have a friend who doesn't like cake. I’m cool with it, not everyone has to like cake.

I don’t judge.

However I wasn't going to let her birthday go without baking her something! That is something I am not cool with.

To make a long story short she said that she liked shortbread.

I have never made shortbread in my life. It’s just typical she’d ask for something I had never made before. That doesn't mean I was unwilling to try.

Shortbread always seems Scottish to me. That is if baked goods had nationalities. Which some of them do and is a whole other topic for another day.

Anywho, I thought I would slightly adapt Sue Lawrence’s, she’s Scottish, shortbread recipe from her Book of Baking, by adding chocolate chunks.

It turned out well! It had a nice buttery taste and melt-in-your-mouth texture. I managed to successfully make shortbread! I do think I like my shortbread slightly thicker so next I will be playing around with tin sizes!

My friend was very pleased and said it was really good! Which is what I like to hear! 

Chocolate Chip Shortbread

225g/8oz/2 ¼ sticks of slightly salted butter, softened

100g/ 3 ½ oz/ ½ cup golden caster sugar/superfine sugar, plus extra for dusting

225g/8oz/2 scant cups of plain/all-purpose flour

100g/ 3 ½ oz/ 1 scant cup cornflour/cornstarch  or farola or rice flour

100g/ ½ cup milk chocolate chunks

Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/gas2 Lightly grease a Swiss Roll Tin (23x33cm/9x13in).

Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Sift in the flour and corn flour mix until just combined. Then add the chocolate chips give it a fast mix to combine, but do not over mix!

Tip into the tin and press it down until it is level. Use a fork to prick holes just like when making pastry.

Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a pale golden brown.

Gently dust over some sugar before cutting into squares. Leave for 5-10 minutes in the pan before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.

notes: FYI: Sue Lawrence is publishing a new baking book called Scottish Baking this summer! I will probably be buying that as I have a couple of her books that I really like. Sainsbury’s have recently republished her Book of Baking exclusive to Sainsbury’s. I am sharing this information because I thought it worth sharing not because I was told too or paid too.