Connie's Shortbread

Connie was a neighbour of my mother and father when they retired to Devon. We visited at coffee time and my small son was completely enthralled by the selection of home made biscuits on offer. Connie was delighted with his response, and insisted on giving me her recipe for this, his favourite of the day (probably because it was the biggest piece available!).

This was over 50 years ago, and I've been using the recipe ever since!

Ingredients

250 g plain flour

100 g caster sugar. I always use golden caster when I can get it!

250 g salted butter - softened

75 g semolina (that's what gives it its lovely crunch)

45 g cornflour

Method

Very lightly butter the base and edges of a 9 inch round sandwich-cake tin. I also use a circle liner (the re-usable sort), but it isn't really necessary as there is such a lot of butter in the recipe.

1 Cream the butter and sugar till light and fluffy

2 Mix the flour, semolina and cornflour together and add gradually to the

mix. You can do this in the stand mixer, but be gentle and don't overmix.

3 When just stating to come together tip out onto a board on working surface

and knead very briefly into a rough ball shape.

4 Press into a medium sized sandwich cake tin, with your hands, making it even. Use a knuckle or the handle end of a spoon to make an attractive pattern round the edges.

5 Prick all over with a fork.

If you are making this with children (and the results are not for show at posh tea parties!) , let them make inventive patterns. Mine have done stars, Christmas trees, crossing lines, triangles and some rather surreal creations too. It's all fun!

6 Pop the whole tin in a plastic bag and chill in the fridge for as long as you can (at least half an hour). This keeps your edge pattern from disappearing

in the bake.

7 Bake at 160 C Fan for about 25 minutes until golden (NOT brown!)

8 Mark into triangles while the shortbread is still warm (but not hot). Leave in

the tin to cool.