Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Steps

1. Preheat to 300°F and lightly butter a 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Whisk the flour, sugar and salt together in a medium bowl. Rub in 1/2 cup butter with your fingertips until it looks like coarse meal. Bring the dough together into a ball and flatten into a disk. On a lightly floured surface, roll it into a round 1/2-inch thick, then put it in the prepared pan. Press with your fingers to cover the bottom evenly right to the edges. Score 8 equal triangles with the tip of a small sharp knife, then pierce the dough all over with a fork. Bake for about 45 minutes, until pale golden and cooked through.
2. While the shortbread is warm, use the tip of a sharp knife to cut triangles along the scored lines. Run the knife around the edge to loosen it, and leave in the pan to cool for at least 30 minutes. Release the springform sides and carefully lift out the fragile shortbread with a spatula. It can be made 1 day ahead; keep airtight in a single layer at room temperature.