Ingredients:
450g butter, softened
220g caster 'superfine' sugar
600g flour
200g white rice flour
4 tbsp fresh cornflwer petals
icing sugar
egg yolk for egg wash (whisk with 1 tbsp water)
extra cornflower petals, to decorate
Method:
Work the butter with an electric mixer until it is smooth and creamy. Then gradually work in the sugar, creaming thoroughly. Mix the flour and rice flour together, then sift into the butter a little at a time, mixing in quickly. Add the cornflour petals and mix to combine
Lightly dust two sheets of wax paper with icing sugar. Roll out one-third of the dough between the two sheets until it is 1 to 1.5cm thick. Shape and cut dough (for professional results use a fan cutter with fluted edges). Place the individual segments on greaseproof paper then prick them several times with a fine-tined fork so that it goes all the way through. Bake in a preheated oven at 160°C (320°F/Gas Mark 3) for 5 minutes, then at 150°C (300°F/Gas Mark 2) for 15 to 20 minutes.
About 5 minutes before the end of cooking remove from the oven, brush half of each biscuit with egg wash and scatter over a few cornflour petals on the egg-washed side. Return to the oven for 3 minutes. Allow to cool on the trays for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Note: Baked shortbread should be light in colour, not browned at all — just a trifle tan on the bottom, so it pays to watch the shortbreads carefully during the last few minutes of cooking. They are a perfect snack with tea or coffee.
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