Simple 'N' Easy Checkered Shortbread

A community recipe by BakingBabe11

Not tested or verified by Nigella.com

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Introduction

I found this recipe in an old cookbook of ours, full of amazing snacks and desserts. This is a family favourite and I've made it for my mother on Mothers Day and again for my dad. The biscuits were much appreciated!

Ingredients

Serves: 8-10

Metric Cups

For the Plain Shortbread

125 grams butter (softened)
50 grams caster sugar
175 grams plain flour

For the Chocolate Shortbread

125 grams butter (softened)
50 grams caster sugar
160 grams plain flour
15 grams cocoa powder
3 tablespoons milk

For the Plain Shortbread

4⅖ ounces butter (softened)
1¾ ounces superfine sugar
6⅙ ounces all-purpose flour

For the Chocolate Shortbread

4⅖ ounces butter (softened)
1¾ ounces superfine sugar
5⅔ ounces all-purpose flour
½ ounce unsweetened cocoa
3 tablespoons milk

Method

Simple 'N' Easy Checkered Shortbread is a community recipe submitted by BakingBabe11 and has not been tested by Nigella.com so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe.

Making plain shortbread :

Preheat oven to 350ºF/180°C/Gas Mark 4. Sieve the flour into a mixing bowl. Stir in the sugar.

Add the butter, cut up. Rub the flour, sugar and butter together with your fingers until the mixture is like breadcrumbs.

Add a tablespoonful of milk to the mixture. Mix everything together with your hands to form a ball of dough.

Making chocolate shortbread :

Sift the flour and the cocoa powder together. Make the chocolate dough in the same way as the plain.

Baking the biscuits :

Shape the 2 sorts of dough into rectangles with your hands and cut in half.

Stick a plain strip and a chocolate strip together with the milk then stick the second plain strip on top of the chocolate one and the chocolate strip beside it. You should then have a block of checkered dough.

Cut the block of dough into equal slices with a sharp knife. Put the slices on to a baking tray.

Bake the biscuits in the top half of the oven for 15-20 minutes until they are a pale gold. When they are done, carefully move them from the baking tray onto a wire rack so they can cool and harden.

Storing :

Store in an airtigh tin or jar or container to keep them fresh and crunchy.