All the boys love helping me to bake and recently one of their favourite things to make is shortbread biscuits. I have tried several recipes over the years but recently came across a recipe for simple shortbread and I have to say I have found it fantastic for using with the boys. Especially when they ask to bake on the spur of the moment, so leaving mix to stand before it can be used is not really an option. This shortbread is ready in 40 minutes and makes approximately 36 biscuits depending on the shape’s you are using. So when Procook kindly sent us a set of three Star shaped cutters, it proved an excuse to make biscuits.
Ingredients:
- 250g (9 oz) plain flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 225g (8 oz) butter
- 100g (4 oz) caster sugar
Method:
Once I had prepared the dough and it had chilled. The boys washed their hands and put their aprons on ready to roll the dough out. Then they started using the different size stars cutters to cut the biscuits out while I preheated the oven. The boys filled a baking sheet each with their biscuits. Once the oven was ready I put the biscuits in the oven for about ten minutes until they were lightly browned. I then took the trays out and left them to cool for a further ten minutes before removing them from the trays. I’ve learnt it is best to leave them cool before removing them as they can be brittle when first come out of the hot oven. The biscuits are usually polished off fairly quickly once the boys are allowed to have some and once their dad comes home there’s usually none left!
Procook Star Cutters come in a set of 5 sizes in a tin which is great for storing the cutters in. They are made from durable stainless steel and are dishwasher safe. The smallest star measures 4cm across and the largest 8 cms across. They cost £4 which is 40% off the highstreet price, making them a bargin. Procook is the UK’s specialist retailer of cookware and kitchenware. These stars would be fantastic for Christmas baking and children will enjoy using them.