Elaine's Scottish Shortbread

 

Elaine Garvey loved this shortbread, and loved making it for friends and family each Christmas. 
The plain shortbread is delicious, and you can make variations by adding chocolate chips, dried fruit or nuts.  Start checking at 40 minutes.  At 45 minutes it sometimes come out a bit too brown and crispy.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups sifted flour
• 3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 lb. butter (2 sticks) softened to room temperature

Cooking Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325 F.
• Mix all ingredients together.  Knead thoroughly until the consistency becomes doughy.  Press very firmly into mold, making sure that dough fits into every part of surface.
• Bake in a preheated oven approx. 40-45 minutes, or until shortbread is lightly browned and still somewhat springy to the touch.  
• Let cool in mold (at least 1 hour), and then run knife around the perimeter of the shortbread to loosen it from the mold.  Remove to rack.