As a treat for a loved one, why not make some vanilla shortbread this Valentine’s Day? This recipe comes from the Mrs Fields Cookie Book.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups salted butter, softened
- 1 cup icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups plain flour
Method
- Preheat oven to 160˚C (325˚F)
- Blend butter until smooth with electric mixer in a large bowl. Slowly blend in the icing sugar.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the vanilla extract and combine thoroughly.
- Add flour and mix at low speed until well blended.
- Divide dough into two roughly equal pieces. Flatten each piece into a disc and wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 1 1/2 hours.
- On a floured board using a floured rolling pin, roll out dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Turn dough often to prevent sticking. Cut cookies with flour dipped cookie cutter. Bake on an ungreased tray for about 16 minutes, being careful not to let the cookies brown. Transfer cookies immediately to a cool flat surface.
- Decoration is up to you. I dipped some of mine in melted dark chocolate and some I sprinkled with coloured sugar before baking. Coloured sugar is very easy to make. Simply add the colour you desire to white sugar and mix through.
Place cookies in a box with a love note and deliver to your sweetheart’s office as a surprise…
