This recipe has literally been used for centuries. At Balmoral we made it every day, and it was a perfect tea cake. It was a favorite of the Queen’s niece, Lady Sarah, who would tuck six whole shortbreads into her luggage at the end of each visit. Dusted with vanilla sugar, it crumbles into eight portions and can be served as a tea cake, alone or with homemade ice cream. If you don’t have traditional beechwood shortbread molds you can bake this in ceramic molds or roll the dough into a log and cut ½-inch cookies.
1½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup cornstarch
1 cup powdered sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter
¼ cup vanilla sugar (see page 76)
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Sift the flour, cornstarch, and powdered sugar into a large bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces and rub them into the flour mixture until it forms into a ball. Lightly dust a shortbread mold with flour and press the dough into the mold. Trim off any excess. If using a beechwood mold, mold the shortbread and then tip it out onto the parchment paper, and prick the top of the shortbread all over with a fork before baking. If using a ceramic mold, bake the shortbread directly in the mold.
2. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and mark the shortbread into wedges with a knife, cutting about one-third of the way through. Sprinkle with the vanilla sugar, and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS