Scottish Shortbread and a Happy New Year
Quick and easy shortbread treats
Image | Liz Lister
In Scotland, New Year’s Eve–or Hogmanay as it’s known here–is one of the biggest nights of the year with lots of traditions to maintain. If you want to learn more, you can read my article in November’s edition of the Guide Collective Magazine.
One of these traditions is “first-footing,” where you visit neighbours’ homes to welcome in the New Year. To go empty-handed would be to bring bad luck to your hosts, so the traditional gifts would be coal, whisky and shortbread.
Traditional first-footing gifts: shortbread, whiskey, and coal
Image | Liz Lister
Shortbread is synonymous with Scotland, and no self-respecting shortbread tin would be without a striking image of the country. If you’re thinking of visiting friends on New Year’s Eve and want to take a home-made gift, or if you simply want to treat yourself or your family, the recipes below are quick and easy and could be just what you’re looking for!
SHORTBREAD
Ingredients for Scottish shortbread
Image | Liz Lister
Ingredients
95g caster sugar
95g cornflour
280g plain flour
pinch of baking soda
250g butter
Method
• Melt the butter
• Sieve the other ingredients into a bowl and add the melted butter
• Mix to a stiff dough
• Roll out dough and press into a 20cm square brownie tin
• Prick top all over with a fork
• Bake for approximately 55mins at 325F/180C
• Remove from oven and allow to cool
• While still warm mark into squares and sprinkle with sugar
• Remove squares from tin – best while still warm and crumbly!
Shortbread squares
Image | Jaggy Thistle
These shortbread squares are delicious on their own but Scots are renowned for their sweet tooth so we like to elevate things a stage further! The recipe below is for Millionaire Shortbread where we add layers of caramel and chocolate into the mix—pure decadence!!
MILLIONAIRE SHORTBREAD
For the shortbread base
Ingredients
250g plain flour
75g caster sugar
175g melted butter
Method
• Line a 20cm square brownie tin with parchment so that it overlaps the edges
• Mix ingredients together and press into the tray as before or alternatively cheat and crush up 250g of shortbread fingers and mix with 55g of butter for your base
• Chill in the fridge
For the caramel
Ingredients
150g soft brown sugar
150g butter
397g tin of condensed milk
Method
• Gently heat sugar and butter in a heavy-based, non-stick pan, stirring continuously until melted
• Add condensed milk and bring to a rapid boil continuing to stir
• Cook for around a minute or until the mixture starts to thicken
• Pour over the chilled shortbread base
• Allow to cool and then chill in the fridge or freezer until the caramel layer is set.
For the chocolate topping
200g dark chocolate
• Melt the dark chocolate and pour over caramel layer
• If you prefer, you can melt a further 55g white chocolate, add dollops to the top of the melted dark chocolate, and swirl together using a spoon for a marbled effect
• Cover with plastic film and place back in the fridge to chill.
• When the chocolate is set, run a sharp knife under boiling water until it is hot, then dry the knife and use it to cut your block into squares—this should stop the chocolate from cracking
• Remove from tray
Delicious! Why not try washing down with a wee dram as you see in the New Year!
Slainte Mhath! Here’s to a Guid New Year.
