Nanny's shortbread

When I was little whenever we visited my grandmother (who we called Nanny) upon arriving we were allowed a piece of shortbread before lunch. A tremendous treat, it was an important part of each visit. Nanny's shortbread came in golden rectangles, with 3 lines along the top and lightly dusted with sugar, it was light and ever so slightly crumbly. Nanny was a superb cook and had been a professional cook, before her marriage for a family in London and later on as a much loved school cook in the days before 'Scholarest' and 'turkey twizzlers'.

One day when I was perhaps 11 or 12, I'm not entirely sure, I asked Nanny for the recipe and she dictated it to me from memory - a feat that much impressed me at the time. She called it Scotch Shortbread. Although noted in an exercise book I never got around to trying the recipe and it disappeared. From time to time I felt sad that Nanny's recipe seemed to have died with her - until - one day fairly recently I was sorting some things in the cupboard in my room and found the exercise book with the recipe still there. In order not to lose it again I typed it up and today I tried the recipe. Nanny's secret ingredient is ground rice, which gives it its crunch. Anyhow, here is the recipe for all to try.

Nanny Josie's Shortbread


-->Shortbread – Scotch (Nanny's recipe I think)

10 oz plain flour
2 oz ground rice
8 oz butter/margarine
4 oz castor sugar

1.Cream butter and sugar
2.Add ground rice and flour gradually to form a stiff dough
3.Knead and roll out
4.Shape into two round cakes or cut into shapes
5.Pinch the edges and prick the top
6.Bake in a moderate oven (325F or Gas 4 or c.160-80C)
7.Dust with sugar and mark into sections when cooled and still hot, remove from tin when cool