Today I’m sharing a recipe for one of the easiest biscuits you will ever make. Shortbread is the perfect treat – it’s quick, simple, and delicious and has very few ingredients which combine to form a biscuit with a crumbly texture that just melts in your mouth. Shortbread is an amazing accompaniment to tea, coffee, hot chocolate or even milk. These Honey Shortbread Bars are a variation with a wonderful topping that only adds to the overall effect.
Shortbread originated in Scotland – which is also why I’m referring to these as biscuits and not cookies – as early as the 12th Century. Conventionally, some recipes used sugar, butter and flour in a ratio of 1:2:3, while some used a 1:1:1 ratio. Either way, this is a biscuit with very high butter content. As the recipe evolved, variations emerged: When flour was not very common, oatmeal was used; Rice flour can also be added, which makes it more crumbly, while the addition of corn starch makes shortbread denser. Later recipes even included eggs.
As far as the name of the biscuit goes, there are two explanations as to why it is referred to as ‘Shortbread’. Some sources attribute the name to the “short” or crumbly texture, while others mention the high percentage of butter or shortening in the recipe, where shortening can mean any fat.
Traditionally, shortbread was baked in a round pan and scored into thin sectors before baking, so the biscuit could be broken into individual servings. It is also baked at a relatively low temperature to prevent browning. Today, you can find shortbread baked in all shapes including circles, squares, hearts and fingers. They might be decorated with fork points, or marked with the tines, and can even be baked in moulds. There are also a myriad of flavours that can be incorporated into the mix – chocolate, cinnamon, almond, citrus, etc. – the possibilities are endless!
This recipe is derived from one in a cookbook belonging to my mother: ‘Children’s Parties’ by Gilly Cubitt and Judy Williams. This book came out of hiding around the time I would start planning my birthday party each year. I spent many an hour pored over its pages, thinking about what games to organise and food to serve, even if I never actually had a party that followed any of the themes outlined in the book.
I’m also very fond of this recipe because when I took Cookery as an elective subject in school; these Honey Shortbread Bars were the first thing I made in the lab for a practical assessment. They didn’t turn out how they were supposed to – the oven settings were different and the topping refused to spread over the shortbread, which also ridiculously puffed up while baking – but my teacher loved them and so did my classmates, and they disappeared in no time.
I like cutting these into bars. This is probably because they resemble granola bars in this shape, and I can eat multiple and convince myself they're just as healthy. Whatever shape you cut them in, they're wonderful - the shortbread just melts in your mouth, the honey bakes into a glossy glaze that is the perfect amount of sticky, the almonds add a delightful crunch, and the chocolate just takes it over the top! Go on, give these a try. I guarantee they'll make your day.
Honey Shortbread Bars
Makes: 8-12 Bars
Equipment: 8” square pan*
Ingredients:
Plain flour – 175g
Caster Sugar – 50g
Butter* – 100g
Honey – 5tbsp
Chopped Nuts* – 25g
Chopped Dark Chocolate or Chocolate Chips* – 50g
Method:
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Sift the flour into a bowl, and add the butter and sugar. Rub in with your fingertips until the mix resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Knead to form a smooth, firm dough, and press into the greased pan.
Mix the honey, nuts and chocolate chips together and spread over the top. Score into bars before baking.
Bake for 25 minutes. Cool in the baking pan for 5 minutes, and then cut into bars. Rest on a wire rack till cool.
Enjoy with milk or coffee!
*Notes:
Using a different pan size will mean a thicker or thinner shortbread. Baking time should also be adjusted accordingly.
Butter can be substituted with a low-fat spread or margarine.
I prefer using only almonds, but walnuts can be used too – or even a mixture of the two.
If chocolate chips are used, it results in an even texture throughout. Chopped dark or milk chocolate can also be used for some variation.
What other kind of shortbread biscuit would you like to try? Let me know in the comments below!
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