Shortbread Little People

One of things I've been appreciating since Little B started school is the opportunity to bake. And by that I mean the whole idea of baking On My Own. In the pre-school days we used to regularly bake together in the afternoons, in that shortish gap between lunch and the school run. I loved and treasured those times and have some very, very happy Mum-n-Little-B baking memories, but at the same time I do love the sort of baking that I get to do now. I love the gentleness of it, the radio playing, the warmth of the oven, just me and my thoughts and something sweet about to happen. Minimal mess. Creativity.

During the past few weeks I've pretty much worked my way through my familiar baking repertoire : iced buns, oaty cookies, lemon drizzle cake, banana bread, fruity flapjacks. All things that are loved by the whole family and make super-duper after school treats, puddings and weekend snacks.

And then one damp, grey day last week I had a mad craving for shortbread, the sort of craving that sent me scurrying to the kitchen in double quick time to check the Plain Flour situation. Shortbread is so very simple to make, using just three ingredients, but in order to bake on a whim the three ingredients have to always be present in the house. Thankfully there was just enough flour, and so shortbread biscuit making commenced.

I use a very simple formula for shortbread biscuits, and the thing to remember is 1:2:3.

That's 1 part sugar, 2 parts butter and 3 parts plain flour.

So for example, if you want to make up a big batch of biscuits, you would use 60g sugar, 120g butter and 180g plain flour.

And if you wish to make a small plate of dinky little Shortbread People, you would only need half the quantity, so 30g caster sugar, 60g butter, 90g plain flour will do nicely.

The method is a breeze. Put all ingredients into a bowl and rub together with your fingertips until the whole lot comes together into a soft dough. By the way, the butter needs to be soft for this to work, so either use spreadable butter from a tub (my preference), or a lump of butter at room temperature.
Roll the dough out to 0.5cm thick. Or alternatively, work in small batches and simply use the palms of your hands to flatten out the dough (this is my preference as for some reason I really don't like using a rolling pin).

Now you will need a cookie cutter of your choice - hearts, stars or fluted circles work well, but occasionally it's rather nice to have a bit of fun with the shapes. I have the cutest little gingerbread boy cutter in my drawer, he measures just 6cm tall. I cut out the shapes and arranged them on a non stick baking sheet, then did a weeny bit of decorating before they hit the oven. Two holes for eyes (I used a small skewer for this), then some sugar sprinkles pressed gently into the tummy. I have coloured dots and red hearts in my drawer for just such an occasion.

Bake at 150 C for 20mins, they should come out crisp and very lightly golden. Sprinkle them with sugar whilst still hot then leave to cool on a wire rack.

These really hit the spot with an afternoon cuppa, although they were only a scant mouthful which kind of made me wish for a Mummy sized shortbread biscuit. But the Little People absolutely loved the Shortbread Little People when they came home from school, they really couldn't believe I'd made them all by myself. I felt a weeny bit proud of my biscuity achievments!

We had them for pudding for a few days too, eaten with a dollop of really yummy white chocolate and raspberry ice cream. The merciless decapitating and chomping of biscuity body parts caused much sniggering amongst my Little People, which was to be fully expected.

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ps ooooooooooooo look, I've just found biscuit cutters to recreate a whole family, who knew?!!

pps oh my goodness, I've just had a real laugh to myself, remembering Little Man's boy biscuits from four years ago!!!!!!!!!! Snigger!!!!!!!!!!

 

Comments

[Bek]

We LOVE this recipe... but when I tried with Gluten after flour for a coeliac friend it was possibly in the category or unmitigated disaster... any suggestions about altering the ratio?

[Claudia Perez]

I absolutely love your blog! I am new to blogging and your blog is one of a few that inspired me to finally put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and start my own blog. I would love for you to check my blog out, if you want.

www.thecatladycrochet.com

thank you for inspiring me :)

[Helen]

What am I doing wrong? I measured out 50g soft marge, 100g sugar and 150g plain flour and rubbed it all together, but no amount of rubbing, squidging etc. brings it all together in a soft dough. Help..................please.

Helen J

[Bev]

Lucy these look so lovely where do you get the hearts and dots from they would make such lovely decorations on shortbread Christmas Trees

[Gillian]

I love shortbread! My mother in law makes really great shortbread.

[Linden]

Followed your link to the boy biscuits.
I think I would have expected buttons too.
Wonder if this question ever comes up with snowMEN? Or are they all presumed to be wearing clothes?

[ann clements]

i made these biscuits this morning instead of butter I used stork margarine which I use for all my bakes and cake making

[Miriam]

For a festive twist, turn them upside down and make them into reindeer! For inspiration, check out this link http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/1200x/09/e9/a9/09e9a90dc4d9f3e7de613e46e59ac714.jpg You could even use the little heart sprinkles for noses!

[Jennie]

You can sometimes find family cutters in the £1, much more pocket friendly than the lakeland version but just as cute, the adult ones are huge though and only my hubbie can manage an adult sized biscuit x

[Michelle]

Ooh lovely thanks for sharing Lucy they are lovely xx

[Kathy]

I've just discovered your blog... I'll be checking in from now on...
I skipped though your postings for 2014. Very creative. Your certainly are surrounded by color.

[Frances Birks]

Hi Lucy where did you get the dots and red hat's? The selection in my small local Morrison's has nothing quite as sweet, lust hundreds and thousands. I have never made short bread, I can't wait to give this recipe a go!thanks Frances

[Jen Y]

What an easy way to remember this recipe! 3 ingredients 1,2,3. I'll be saving this.

[Helen Sikkes Lowe]

Oh my goodness, the boy biscuits!! I didn't see that post first time around, and I just laughed out loud when I read it! Little boys are so funny :)

[Anne]

These look adorable - and very yummy. I wish I could just grab one through the montitor :-) While reading your post I spent time wondering how you made the little hearts, that is until I came up to the point where you mentioned you have them ready made. So cool - I will have to look out for these thingies. Hopefully they are available in German supermarkets :-)

Oh and these shortbread doughs tastes great with a bit of Spekulatius spice! Very christmas-y. :-)

Take care
Anne
http://crochetbetweentwoworlds.blogspot.de

[B]

Delish! They look so simple to make! And who knew how undemanding the ingredient volumes were? I love to bake but live with a diabetic and a non-sweet-tooth, so I'm always trying to halve or even quarter my dessert recipes! Thanks for sharing :)

[Jo Navin]

Hee hee, the little boy biscuits sooo funny :-) Love the tiny heart decorations, thank you for sharing the recipe. Hope you have a lovely cosy weekend, love Jo xxx

[Laura]

LOVE your recipe!!!

[Jo Browning]

Oh my goodness! I just read your post and have tears rolling down my face from laughing so hard! Even had to share this one with hubby and he thinks Little Man should sell his cookies and call them "Little Man Cookies!!"

From one of your fans in the U.S.A.
Jo

[jo]

Suzy, caster sugar is finer than granulated but still grainy. Growing up it was always white, but you see golden caster sugar a lot now which is a pale golden brown.
Jo

[Jen]

I have been baking gingerbread people for years and I have always wondered if one should eat the legs first and listen to them scream or eat the head first and watch their little legs go. That's terribly perverse to think about, but then eating people, cookie people or not, is kind of perverse too. Love your shortbread people! :)

[OkeCrafter]

I love your little people biscuits and the recipe sounds delicious. I'm not surprised your youngsters loved them.

[Carol aka Dansnan]

Now I have a "need" for some hm shortbtread too!

Carol xx

[Susy]

Caster sugar? Is that granulated white sugar or confectioners' powdered sugar? Or light brown sugar? These are much simpler sounding than my traditional sugar cookie recipe. Thanks!

[Sarah]

I miss my baking days - I am now back at work. But I think these need to be done for Christmas cookies. I love your posts - they always brighten my day.