Who doesn't love a cup of tea, especially if it is accompanied by a piece of shortbread. It is one of the simple pleasures in life. In this country whatever is going on in life, whether it is good or bad, we reach for the kettle and make tea!
I love a good cup of tea and much as it is very handy to put a teabag in a cup and pour hot water over it, there is no doubt that tea made in a teapot and sipped from a china cup is tea at its best. I don't like tea leaves floating in my tea and I really can't be bothered using a strainer, so the teapots that have an in-built strainer make using 'loose tea' a lot easier.
I love a good cup of tea and much as it is very handy to put a teabag in a cup and pour hot water over it, there is no doubt that tea made in a teapot and sipped from a china cup is tea at its best. I don't like tea leaves floating in my tea and I really can't be bothered using a strainer, so the teapots that have an in-built strainer make using 'loose tea' a lot easier.
I haven't taken milk in my tea for almost 30 years, so I do appreciate a cup of tea that has loads of flavour. Most of the time I drink English Breakfast or Earl Grey but my favourite is Lady Grey with that slight hint of orange.
Now for the shortbread!
Shortbread is a staple in the B&B and is really one of the simplest biscuits to make. You only need three ingredients - butter, sugar and flour. I have used the same basic recipe for years and it works perfectly well but over the years I have adapted it to my taste.
Now for the shortbread!
Shortbread is a staple in the B&B and is really one of the simplest biscuits to make. You only need three ingredients - butter, sugar and flour. I have used the same basic recipe for years and it works perfectly well but over the years I have adapted it to my taste.
Original Recipe (I don't even know where it came from!)
200 g softened butter
100 g sugar
300 g plain flour
Preheat oven to 150 C or gas mark 2. Cream the butter and sugar then add in the flour and mix well until it all comes together. Knead well, then roll out to about 1/2 inch thick and cut out. Bake for 20-30 minutes.
This makes a crunchy shortbread, but I like shortbread that melts in you mouth, so I have changed the recipe a little. I change the sugar to 50 g caster sugar and 50 g icing sugar and instead of 300 g plain flour, I use 200 g along with 100 g cornflour. The combination of the icing sugar and the cornflour makes a softer shortbread.
200 g softened butter
100 g sugar
300 g plain flour
Preheat oven to 150 C or gas mark 2. Cream the butter and sugar then add in the flour and mix well until it all comes together. Knead well, then roll out to about 1/2 inch thick and cut out. Bake for 20-30 minutes.
This makes a crunchy shortbread, but I like shortbread that melts in you mouth, so I have changed the recipe a little. I change the sugar to 50 g caster sugar and 50 g icing sugar and instead of 300 g plain flour, I use 200 g along with 100 g cornflour. The combination of the icing sugar and the cornflour makes a softer shortbread.
Happily the guests in the B&B like my recipe!!
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