Having stumbled across my 1970s cookbook as the sun was setting late this afternoon, with play options of park, beach and library having already been exhausted, I was heartened by a step by step recipe for shortbread.With just four ingredients, and five simple pictures of a child effortlessly making shortbread I was lured into cracking out the caster sugar, butter, and two types of flour...
Yet by step 2 I was flummoxed. Toddler was bored, not content mixing things in the bowl the majority of the kitchen floor, worktop and the toddler himself were under a good covering of flour. The mixing I could handle, but the kneading to form dough just was not happening.
After ten minutes, which is epic in toddler years, having prevented the scales vanishing into the microwave to be 'cooked' and the cat being forcefed butter (much to its delight) I gave up ridiculous kneading and settled for shortbread 'lumps'.
Failing to comprehend what Regulo 2 was in my ancient book I assumed a modern gas mark 2 for an hour would suffice, with a turn halfway. After grumping about the kitchen trying to ensure the once-black cat was black once again... I was more than surprised to find the lumps pretty palatable!
Toddler dipped his in yoghurt as clearly they weren't up to his exacting standards. Luckily I'm less fussy now I've learned to survive on toddler's rejected toast crusts... but come on lovelies: how does one make shortbread easily? And no more 70s children's cookbook suggestions please!
