Day 6: The World's Greatest Shortbread

There is nothing more to say about this recipe other than it is quite simply the world's greatest shortbread. It melts it your mouth, has a rich buttery flavour, and a delicate texture. Our mother has made this recipe every year for as long as we can remember, and Christmas wouldn't be the same without it. This is the cookie our friends and family beg to have included in care packages and the first to disappear of the platers of treats.  She got the recipe from a newsletter put out by Sussex Realty in the mid 1980's. She still has the original newsletter, butter stained and dirty, but that just demonstrates how well loved this cookie is. We haven't changed or adapted this recipe at all, because there is nothing that could be done to make it any better.

This is a sliced regrigerator cookie. We usually shape the dough into logs and keep it in the freezer until we need it. These cookies store well at room temperature, but there is nothing better than when they are fresh, so better just to slice off a pan full and bake when you need them.

Makes about 2 dozen.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1/3 cup icing sugar
1 cup butter
pecan halves or glace cherries for decoration (we prefer pecans, but the cherries are Christmas colours)

Directions:
1. Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
2. Using a hand blender or Kitchen Aid, mix in butter. Blend for approximately 5 minutes.
3. Divide the dough into halves and form into 2 logs, by wrapping in wax paper. Once wrapped make sure the logs are squared off and nicely shaped.
4. Refrigerate over night.
5. Slice the cookies into 1/4" cookies, place on cookie sheet lined with parchment.
6. Place pecan half or 1/2 glace cherry on each cookie.
7. Bake at 350 for 15 - 20 minutes, until slightly browned

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