Gran's Scottish Shortbread

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/4 cups flour

Recipe

• 1 beat butter with sugar, salt, and egg yolk until fluffy.
• 2 add flour a little at a time until mixture is too stiff to work with a spoon. (do not use a mixer, as the dough will be far too stiff.)
• 3 flour a counter or board and knead the dough, pulling the flour into it, until it just begins to "crack". it's about the texture of play-doh at this point, perhaps a little stiffer. you may need a little more or a little less than 2 1/4 cups.
• 4 divide the dough into two balls and pat them each into a circle about 1/2 inch thick on an ungreased cookie sheet. prick the whole thing with a fork, and use the flat of the fork to press lines around the edges.
• 5 bake at 350°f until brown, about 30 minutes. the center will be a pale pastel yellow and the edges will just be turning brown.
• 6 remove the cookie sheet and cut the shortbread while it's still hot (it gets more brittle as it cools).