The recipe for this has been handed down from my European grandmother! I have been using it for almost 50 years now, and it never fails.
It is a basic recipe that I make and freeze half of, and can be used for either shortbread biscuits, or a base for any cake - much nicer than shop-bought pastry.
I have used coconut sugar, but I think it is a nicer colour if you use ordinary caster sugar.
Preparation Time: 25 minutes plus 10 minutes fridge time
Cooking Time: about 7 minutes
Makes: 35 biscuits/2 cakes bases
Ingredients
1 cup plain flour
1 cup self raising flour
1 egg
About 150 g butter, softened to room temperature
¼ cup sugar
Method
In a large bowl, mix the two flours, egg, and sugar.
Continue kneading until it becomes one large ball of dough - this could take about 10 minutes.
Put this in the fridge for about 10 minutes.
Separate this into halves, and freeze half to use at a later date as a cake base - great for things like cheese cake.
Preheat oven to 160° fan forced, or 180° ordinary.
On a floured surface, roll half out with a rolling pin.
Cut into any shape - I have a variety of cutting moulds, as can be seen on the photo.

You can use a glass if you do not have these moulds
Put them on a lined baking tray, and do the same with the rest of the dough. You can then brush them with milk or egg, if you want a glossy finish on the top.
Bake for about 7 minutes, or till they just start to turn golden.
Allow to cool on wire rack, and serve.

Served with my almond biscuits
Categories
#Basic sweet dough
#Shortbread biscuits
#Cake base
#Back to Basics Competition
#Afternoon tea
#Sweets
#Easy