Shortbread

Ingredients

• Sugar

  White, granulated sugar

  ¼ cup or 50g

• Vanilla extract

  ½ tsp or 2g

• Salt

  Table

  ⅛ tsp or 0.8g

• Pine nuts

  Nuts, dried

  ½ cup or 68g

• Butter

  Unsalted

  1 stick or 113g

• Wheat flour

  White, all-purpose, unenriched

  1 cup or 125g

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly toast pine nuts for approximately 7 minutes and chop (if using.)
2. Blend together butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a bowl with a fork until combined well. Sift flour into butter mixture and blend with fork until mixture forms a soft dough.
3. Transfer dough to an ungreased large baking sheet and pat into a 9- by 4 1/2-inch rectangle. Crimp edges decoratively and prick dough all over with tines of a fork. Score dough crosswise with the back of a knife into 8 sections. If desired, sprinkle with chopped toasted nuts and press gently into dough with your fingertips.
4. Bake shortbread in middle of oven until edges are golden, about 15 minutes.
5. Cool shortbread on baking sheet on a rack 10 minutes, then cut into slices (while still warm) with a sharp knife. Transfer slices with a spatula to rack to cool completely.