Sam and his grandad have a little ritual when they go camping together. They like to have a cup of tea and a piece (well several probably) of shortbread.
Sam, Arlo and Matthew are all off down to Dorset this weekend to hook up with Granny and Grandad Bryson on their two week camping trip. So to wish them well as they disappear into the distance, leaving me to enjoy the peace and quiet of the house for an ENTIRE WEEKEND, I decided to bake them some shortbread.
Yes, the holy grail of parenthood. A weekend to myself. Unreal!
I’ve got the Cybermummy conference to thank for this restorative mini-break. Many have said, “you won’t know what to do with yourself!” You’re having a giraffe.
Normally outnumbered by menfolk, I will be unashamedly GIRLY all weekend. I will slowly and indecisively be shopping for clothes (for myself), watching films aimed at teenagers, staying up late, reading my book and sleeping. I might even paint my nails.
Of course it’ll be lovely to see the boys again on Sunday, but the inner calm I feel even thinking about how my weekend is going to be, is incredible!
Anyway, the shortbread recipe must be divulged coz it’s a blinder!
Lemon Shortbread (Good Food Mag July)
Ingredients
75g softened butter, plus extra for greasing the tin)
50g caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
100g self-raising flour
zest 1 lemon
Method
1. Heat oven to 180C/160C Fan
Grease a 15cm round, loose-bottomed sandwich tin. Mix the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon, then stir in the flour and lemon zest and press into the tin. Score into 8 wedges, prick all over with a fork and sprinkle with extra sugar.
2. Bake for 20-25 mins or until pale godlen in colour. Cool for 10 mins, then remove from the tin and finish cooling on a wire rack.
The lemon gives it a light and summery feel. I use lemons in SO much of my cookery these days, it has to be one of my favourite ingredients. I’m less keen on how often I’m skinning my knuckles on the grater when I’m zesting them however.
This shortbread is very quick and easy to make, great for littlies to get involved with and its crispy yet chewy consistency is dangerously moreish.
If you wrapped it in tissue paper and put it in a gift box it’d make a lovely and inexpensive end of year pressie for a teacher. If you don’t scoff it straight off the cooling rack that is 😉
Creaming the butter and the sugar
Cue funny dancing from Sam…
Licking the bowl, probably the only reason Sam likes helping me cook!
I was quite chuffed with how it looked before it went in the oven. It looked a little more ‘rustic’ after it was done.
Don’t talk to me, I’m far too busy.
Ooh, that shortbread looks fab! Such a comforting snack, much better than a biscuit. I love your little one’s apron!
It’s really lemony and light, I was dead chuffed with how it turned out.
Sam loves his squid themed new apron… Just a shame that his baby brother threw the accompanying bottle of fish sauce across the kitchen, smashing it to smithereens and leaving a fishy odour in the air for days!!!!
Ah the joys of children in the kitchen 😉
Oh my god, could he have chosen a worse item to break! Am gagging just thinking about it, and that’s coming from someone who has just had to febreeze a car seat covered in sick.
I’ll be posting my recipe for what my husband calls “chocolate brownie fondant muffins” later on if you want a peek!
Lordy they sound great!!!!!!!!!! Will defo be checking those out!!!!
Heh heh, I see what you mean about the table cloth! I have an apron in red like that from Sainsbury’s TU range. He looks like he’s having a whale of a time in your kitchen!
Sam was in pre-camping Frenzy which always makes him amusing company and more than a little prone to sudden outbursts of comedy dancing…