In the wee hours a few mornings ago, I had a mad thought. It happened as I was waiting for the kettle to boil so I could make my son’s breakfast, he had decided that 4am was the perfect time to start his day. I am not a morning person; I should have a warning splashed across my morning cup of tea to ward people off. Anyway, I was thinking about how much I wanted to bake something from scratch, so I did a quick search on my iPhone and stumbled upon a little recipe. I double checked we had the ingredients and readied myself for baking; first I had to feed my son. As if I could forget about him!
Once my son was fed and settled with his father I set about with this baking experiment. It is only a simple shortbread recipe but I was excited to be making something that wasn’t a premade mix. Don’t get me wrong, premade mixes are a lifesaver as a mother but there are times when I want to be a real baker and get my paws doughy. Once I had finished making my creations I popped them in the oven for 20 minutes and waited nervously for the results. It may sound silly but I am a perfectionist, especially when it comes to baking. It has to be up to my perfect bunny standards!
After twenty minutes, I opened the oven to be welcomed with a wave of hot, sweet sugary air devouring my nostrils with edible goodness. As soon as I saw my plump biscuits all golden brown, I smiled and jumped for joy! They looked and smelled like heaven! I kid you not; all I could smell was a gorgeous butter, doughy yumminess. I popped the biscuits on a plate and allowed them to cool before I presented them to my husband for panda approval. I got more than that, he loved them and he is not the sort for bakery products. He enjoyed them so much he begged me to make more, which of course I did! So for the past week we have been living off my homemade biscuits. I want to experiment by throwing in some raisins or chocolate chips to see if it will make them even more heavenly. But for now, they just melt in my mouth! *drools*
Below is the recipe I used, give it a go if you fancy. I believe the trick is to grease your baking tray well with butter, not only does it help the biscuits not stick to the bottom but also gives them a bit more of a buttery taste. ENJOY! Happy Baking!
Easy Shortbread
Ingredients
150 grams plain flour
100 grams margarine
50 grams caster sugar
Method
- Preheat oven 160C, Gas mark 6.
- Cream together the butter and sugar in a bowl. Gradually mix in the flour. Using your hands knead the mix together into a smooth ball.
- Roll out to about 1/2 cm thick. Cut out your shapes and place on baking tray.
- Bake for 10-15min. Sprinkle with a little sugar while they cool.
Website: http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/easy-shortbread-1283
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