Guys, Christmas is only two weeks away – what are you doing here sitting around, not buying your presents, or organising your parties, or ensuring the Christmas turkey can fit in your oven?
Reading my post? Ain’t that sweet, gnawww you guys! Ok fine, but after this you simply must get back to your baking, your making, your gift-wrapping 😀
Where am I (or will I be at this moment, considering I wrote this post a while ago)? Well, I am gambling, drinking and accidentally getting married by an Elvis Impersonator.
JOKES!
I am not 21 yet, so according to US legal stuff, I can’t. 😉
But yes, I am in Las Vegas, seeing the night life, living the dream and not sleeping – I am pretty darn sure I am not sleeping right now 😛
But besides all that, I am still pretty gosh darn (how mild!) excited hat Christmas is coming up!!!
And with Christmas, comes Santa’s favourite cookies… which seem to disappear before Christmas Eve at my place but maybe Santa likes giving me presents early? 😛
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Now, I don’t know why there is a little bit of country-ism going on here, especially around such a festive season, but apparently, these shortbread are Scottish.
Frosty Baby!
Nope, no, if you have used rice flour in your shortbread recipe, and you were in Australia, India, PSSSHT! You copied the Scottish.
Because when shortbread is apparently, made with rice flour, it. is Scottish. Why d’ya question it laddie? 😉
I had personally always used only plain flour in my shortbread, or SRF (self raising) on the rare occasion, and it was delicious. Always. But the rice flour (I think) has that extra kick of crunch on the outside, and softness on the inside, despite dunking it into tea or hot chocolate.
Now, I have come to quite a logical conclusion about these cookies, and the Festive season surrounding them. There is a flurry, at least in Australia, of Scottish Shortbread, be they Walkers brand, or any other.
In every type of hamper, you will find them. Thus my conclusion:
Santa is Scottish.
That’s right big boy!
This is Santa, in case you weren’t sure 😛
And he wants these cookies waiting for him when he visits. So he subtly markets them – after all, he holds a lot of influence over that industry 😛
But now I must run. I have found out the secret. And Santa is slightly mad, shaking his kilt and growing red in the face, his beard shaking with fury. Oh dear.
Best be off to hide behind the pokies ay? 😉
Scottish Shortbread
Adapted from: Mastering the Art of Baking – Bold = my changes
GUESS WHO! Rhymes with S/T/P/Noodolph 😛
Ingredients:
- 250g butter, softened
110130g caster sugar- 335g plain flour, sifted
- 45g rice flour, sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- Cachus balls, to decorate
Method:
- Preheat oven to 160 degrees C and line a baking tray with baking paper
- Use an electric mixed and beat the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy
- Add in the vanilla and beat till combined
- Sift in the flours, and use a flat-bladed knife (if you are a finicky one) to roll the mixture into a soft dough
I forgot the vanilla before… 😛
- Divide into 2 equal portions and shape each into a ball
- Cover with glad wrap and refrigerate for 20 -30 minutes
- Using a lightly floured rolling pin (I kept redusting mine because it was hot) and roll out one portion of dough at a time (while working with one, keep the other one refrigerated)
- Using floured cookie cutters, cut out different shapes from the dough and lay them on the baking trays lined with baking paper
- Repeat till all the dough is used then do with the other ball of dough
- Prick with a fork and decorate with cachus balls if desired
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden
- Serve – quickly, they are crumby and warm and delectable!
Note:
- I made mine as shapes – you could also bake it in a 20cm cake tin as in my book, and cut it into wedges (flute its sides before baking)
GO SCOTLAND! And OMG CHRISTMAS IS ACTUALLY ON ITS WAY 😀
Go Bake Yourself 
Yay, CCU, I have brown rice flour in the frig! I’m sure that will work and I love shortbread cookies–Scottish or Indian or whatever they might be. I notice there is no salt added, so I’m guessing we can use salted butter.
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Such pretty cookies. Have a blast in Las Vegas! It can be pretty overwhelming but a fun place.
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eliotthecat: Love those decorations!
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mmmarzipan: Very cute, Uru! Love shortbread! 😀
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Three Well Beings: I hope you’re continuing to enjoy your travels! Isn’t Las Vegas an entirely different world? Yes, rice flour is Scottish. My grandmother was born in Scotland and taught me how to make shortbread cakes, using her mother’s recipe. I still have the recipe written in my great-grandmother’s handwriting and the only temperature listed is a “slow oven.” I’m sure she originally baked with a wood stove! I have never made the shortbread cookies, but the recipe is the same, except mine didn’t have the vanilla. It’s a favorite request for Christmas in my family, so you’re right…I had better get baking. 🙂
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Sandra Garth: Santa is going to have to move quickly on these because they won’t last long at my house!
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onthehomefrontandbeyond: you are one very entertaining girl and I love these cookies!
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A_Boleyn: I love shortbread. Simple ingredients, not too sweet and tender and melt in your mouth. I save my decorating for sugar cookies though so I can pretend that the shortbreads are … healthy. 🙂
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Susan: Since discovering Scottish shortbread I have never turned back. I love that flaky crunch! Hope your are having a wonderful time in Las Vegas, My Dear!
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atasteofmadness: Ooh! Shortbread! My favorite. This looks so festive and delicious!
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yummychunklet: Rice flour? Great addition to shortbread cookies.
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Bianca @ Confessions of a Chocoholic: I love shortbread of any kind! These look so cute. Hope you’re having a blast in Vegas!
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Caroline Taylor: I love homemade shortbread.
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Minnie@Thelady8home: Awwwww….aren’t those the cutest thing ever!! Enjoy Vegas 🙂
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bitsandbreadcrumbs: So many things to bake this year and so little time! I love shortbread of any kind and yours looks so festive…love the fork tine as part of the decor! Happy Holidays, Uru!
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Curry and Comfort: Well done, I have never made shortbread… I must definitely try this with my kids. They will have a load of fun. 🙂
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Inger Wilkinson: Never met a shortbread I didn’t love!
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Tandy (Lavender and Lime): This is the first time I’ve seen rice flour in a shortbread recipe 🙂
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Abbe @ This Is HoW I Cook: I love shortbread! And what are you doing in Vegas if you aren’t 21? You can only visit the Hoover Dam so many times!
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tastytreats13: Enjoy Las Vegas! I’m excited for Christmas too, it’s great! The cookies look absolutely amazing!
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Suzanne: Have a great time in Vegas, sin city!! Lovely cookies and I still can’t believe Christmas is two weeks from now, I better start shopping..
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Georgia @ The Comfort Of Cooking: I love a crisp, buttery shortbread over the holidays! Yours looks perfect!
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cookingactress: Have fun in Vegas (as much as you can while abiding by our strict US laws :P)!
and these cookies look so festive and tasty!
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Kim@Treats & Trinkets: t’s kind of funny, the only recipe I have for Scottish shortbread is in a cookbook that was published in Australia. Hrmmmm….
Regardless, I love shortbread, and these look fantastic. And so pretty!
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John@Kitchen Riffs: Heck, I’ll be Santa if these are waiting for me! I love shortbread, and these are really nice. Sounds like you’re having a great time on your vacation, too. Remember, we expect plenty of pics on your return. 😉
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Tammy: Oooh how pretty, Uru!! These cookies look so delicious and buttery mmmmm!
I’m so excited for holidays too! 😀
Well I must get back to my baking now too. Happy holidays my dear friend.
Toodles,
Tammy<3
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Angie@Angie’s Recipes:They look melt-in-mouth delicious and festive!
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