Ron's Shortbread

Ron's Shortbread

The Line-up (Ingredients)

• 125g Iceing sugar, sifted (the secret to that velvety texture)
• 250g unsalted butter, at room temperature (if it’s straight from the fridge, you’re going to have a bad time)
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract (technically optional, but highly recommended for emotional support)
• 2g (½ tsp) salt (skip this if your butter is already salty, like our presenter after a bad tech cue)
• 350g all-purpose flour
• 1 tbp lemon juice

The Play-by-Play (Instructions)

1. Preheat and Prep: Crank your oven to 320°F / 160°C. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper. This ensures your biscuits don't weld themselves to the metal.
2. Cream of the Crop: Toss your sifted Iceing sugar, room-temp butter, and vanilla into a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or use a handheld mixer if you want a minor arm workout). Mix until light and creamy—give it about 2 to 3 minutes.
3. The Dry Spell: Sift the flour, and salt together. Dump them into the buttery cloud and mix until just incorporated. Do not over mix unless you want your biscuits to double as hockey pucks. Then add the lemon juice and mix quickly.
4. Shape Up: Plop the dough onto a clean surface and press it together. Shape it into a sharp, tidy rectangle log—aim for about 3.5cm x 6cm (1.4" x 2.3"). Use a bench scraper to square off the edges so they look professionally engineered.
5. The Slice: Grab a sharp knife. Slice the log into biscuits exactly 1cm (0.4") thick. Arrange them on your trays. Give them a little breathing room; like a bad co-host, they need a bit of space.
6. The Airtime: Bake for 16 to 17 minutes. You want them set and just barely blushing golden around the edges.
7. The Cool Down: Let them cool completely on the pans before moving them to a wire rack. Trying to eat them hot will result in a crumbly disaster and minor tongue burns.

How to store them: Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll last for up to two weeks, but let's be honest—they will be gone before the next commercial break.