Scotch Shortbread

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 t. for sprinkling
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 300 degrees; have ready an ungreased 9-inch square baking pan.
• 2 in a large bowl, using an electric mixer on high speed, cream the butter until fluffy and pale yellow.
• 3 add the powdered sugar and ¼ cup granulated sugar and continue beating until the mixture is no longer gritty when rubbed between your finger and thumb.
• 4 beat in the vanilla.
• 5 sift the flour and salt together onto a sheet of waxed paper.
• 6 gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed or stir with a wooden spoon just until blended.
• 7 using floured fingertips, press the dough evenly into the pan.
• 8 sprinkle evenly with 1 tablespoon sugar.
• 9 bake the shortbread until the edges are golden, about 1 hour.
• 10 remove the pan from the oven and immediately use a thin sharp knife to cut the shortbread into strips 3 inches by 1 inch.
• 11 use a toothpick or the tines of a fork to decorate the shortbread with a pattern of dots.
• 12 let the strips cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes before transferring them to the rack to cool completely.