Scots Shortbread (a Festive Cake At Hogmanay) Recipe

Only the best materials should be used. The flour should be dried and
sieved. The butter, which is the only moistening and shortening
agent, should be squeezed free of all water. The sugar should be
fine castor. Two other things are essential for success++ the careful
blending of the ingredients and careful firing. The butter and sugar
should first be blended. Put eight ounces of butter and four ounces
of castor sugar on a board, and work with the hand until thoroughly
incorporated. Mix eight ounces of flour with four ounces of rice
flour, and work gradually into the butter and sugar, until the dough
is of the consistency of short crust. Be careful that it does not
become oily (a danger in hot weather) nor toughened with over-mixing.
The less kneading, the more short and crisp the shortbread. Do not
roll it out, as rolling too has a tendency to toughen it, but press
with the hand into two round cakes, either in oiled and floured
shortbread moulds or on a sheet of baking-paper. The most
satisfactory thickness is three-quarters of an inch for a cake eight
inches in diameter, or in such proportion. If you make a large thick
cake it is advisable to protect the edges with a paper band or hoop,
and to have several layers of paper underneath and possibly one on
the top. Pinch the edges with a fork. Decorate with “sweetie”
almonds (for small cakes, caraway comfits may be used) and strips of
citron or orange peel. Put into a fairly hot oven, reduce the heat
presently, and allow the shortbread to crisp off to a light golden
brown. “The Infar-Cake, or Dreaming Bread.” A decorated cake of
shortbread is still the national bride’s cake of rural Scotland, and
was formerly used as infer-cake. The breaking of the infar-cake over
the head of the bride, on the threshold of her new home, is a very
ancient custom. Portions were distributed to the young men and
maidens “to dream on”.