A buttery and delicious shortbread recipe from Mary Berry. The secret ingredient is semolina for that extra crunch! Finish easy shortbread recipe a sprinkle of demerara sugar.
For a really good shortbread it is essential to use butter. I like to use semolina as well as flour to give the shortbread crunch, but you can use cornflour or ground rice instead. Lightly grease a 30cm x 23cm roasting or traybake tin. Mix together the flour and semolina in a bowl or food processor. Add the butter and sugar and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture is just beginning to bind together. Knead lightly until the mixture forms a smooth dough. Press the dough into the prepared tin and level it with the back of a spatula or a palette knife, making sure the mixture is evenly spread.
Prick all over with a fork, sprinkle over the flaked almonds if using, and chill until firm. Bake for about 35 minutes or until a very pale golden brown. Sprinkle with demerara sugar and leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then cut into 30 fingers. Carefully lift the fingers out of the tin with a palette knife and finish cooling on a wire rack. 1995 – 2021 Penguin Books Ltd. Registered office: 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London, SW1V 2SA UK. Get our latest recipes, features, book news and ebook deals straight to your inbox every Friday.