The original shortbread recipe called for 4 cups of flour, but with that you wind up adding extra butter and/or a tablespoon of water to get the dough to hold together, so Joy just starts with less flour. If the dough feels sticky you can always add more flour.
3½ cups flour
2 sticks butter (use the real thing, salted—no substitutes!)
¾ cup sugar
4 (1-ounce) squares white chocolate, melted
Flaked coconut (optional)
1. Mix the flour, butter, and sugar together until it holds in a ball like pie crust, then divide into 3 balls. Turn onto a large ungreased cookie sheet and flatten into circles about ¼ inch thick and 5 inches wide. Poke full of holes with a fork, then cut into pie wedge sections with a sharp knife. (This will make it easier to get the cookies apart once they’re baked.) You should get about 6 wedges per circle.
2. Bake at 350° F. for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cut them again after you take them out of the oven and let them cool.
3. Melt white chocolate according to package instructions. Then frost the shortbread from the tip to the middle. If desired, you can top each cookie with a teaspoon of flaked coconut. Let the white chocolate harden completely before storing. Makes about 18 wedges.