medshi8 This crisp, buttery Mary Berry Shortbread is made with semolina, plain flour, and soft butter, and ready in just over 40 minutes. The hero moment arrives when you slice the warm, golden traybake into fingers and shower them with sparkling sugar. I find the specific use of semolina gives this recipe a unique, sandy texture that completely sets it apart.
Why This Classic Works
Many shortbread recipes rely on cornflour to soften the dough, but Mary Berry insists on semolina for this traybake version. I learned that this coarser grain transforms the texture from simply soft to pleasantly granular and crisp. It gives the biscuit a proper “snap” that you just don’t get with a standard all-flour mix.
The ratio of butter to dry ingredients here is high, which eliminates the need for eggs or milk to bind the dough. When I first made this, I was worried it wouldn’t come together, but trust the process—the butter is more than enough to create a cohesive, tender bake.
Mary Berry Shortbread Ingredients
- 225g plain flour
- 100g semolina
- 225g butter, softened (cubed)
- 100g caster sugar
- 25g demerara or caster sugar (for dusting)
How To Make Mary Berry Shortbread
- Prep the Tin: Preheat your oven to 160°C (140°C Fan). Lightly grease a 30 x 23 cm (12 x 9 inch) traybake or roasting tin with a little butter.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Measure the plain flour and semolina into a large mixing bowl and stir them together to combine.
- Rub in the Butter: Add the cubed, softened butter and the caster sugar to the bowl. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like damp breadcrumbs and starts to bind together.
- Knead Lightly: Bring the mixture together with your hands and knead it very gently until it forms a smooth, pliable dough.
- Press and Level: Tip the dough into your prepared tin. Press it down firmly into the corners and level the surface with the back of a spoon or a palette knife so it is even thickness throughout.
- Bake: Prick the surface all over with a fork and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the shortbread is a pale golden brown color and feels firm to the touch.
- Slice and Serve: Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with the dusting sugar. Allow it to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then cut into about 30 fingers while still warm before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Tips
- Slice While Warm: This is the most crucial rule. If you wait until the shortbread is cold to cut it, it will shatter and crumble; slicing it while warm ensures clean, neat fingers.
- The Semolina Swap: If you cannot find semolina, you can use cornflour (cornstarch) or ground rice, but the texture will be smoother and less crunchy than the original Mary Berry version.
- Avoid Overworking: Handle the dough as little as possible once the butter is incorporated. Over-kneading develops the gluten and results in a tough biscuit rather than a melt-in-the-mouth treat.
- Chill If Warm: If your kitchen is hot and the dough feels greasy, pop the tin in the fridge for 15 minutes before baking to prevent the butter from leaking out.
What To Serve With Shortbread
These buttery fingers are the perfect partner for a strong cup of builder’s tea or fresh coffee in the afternoon. For a dessert vibe, serve them alongside a bowl of macerated strawberries and heavy cream.
How To Store
Store the completely cooled shortbread fingers in an airtight container or biscuit tin. They will keep fresh and crisp for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the baked fingers for up to a month.
FAQs
Why is my shortbread soft?
It likely needs a few more minutes in the oven. Shortbread should be baked at a lower temperature for longer to dry it out without burning; if it’s too thick, it may stay soft in the middle.
Can I use salted butter?
Yes, Mary Berry often uses salted butter for baking. If you only have unsalted, simply add a small pinch of salt to the flour to balance the sweetness.
Can I make this in a food processor?
Absolutely. You can blitz all the ingredients together until they just form a ball, but be careful not to over-process or the dough will become oily.
Nutrition
- Calories: 108 kcal
- Total Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Cholesterol: 16mg
- Sodium: 45mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 12g
- Protein: 1g
Mary Berry Shortbread
30
servings10
minutes35
minutes45
minutesMary Berry Shortbread crisp, buttery fingers made with semolina, plain flour, and caster sugar in 45 minutes for an easy tea-time treat. These golden biscuits offer a perfect snap and a classic sandy texture that melts in your mouth.
Ingredients
225g plain flour
100g semolina
225g butter, softened (cubed)
100g caster sugar
25g demerara or caster sugar (for dusting)
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 160°C (140°C Fan). Lightly grease a 30 x 23 cm (12 x 9 inch) traybake or roasting tin with a little butter.
- Measure the plain flour and semolina into a large mixing bowl and stir them together to combine.
- Add the cubed, softened butter and the caster sugar to the bowl. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like damp breadcrumbs and starts to bind together.
- Bring the mixture together with your hands and knead it very gently until it forms a smooth, pliable dough.
- Tip the dough into your prepared tin. Press it down firmly into the corners and level the surface with the back of a spoon or a palette knife so it is even thickness throughout.
- Prick the surface all over with a fork and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the shortbread is a pale golden brown color and feels firm to the touch.
- Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with the dusting sugar. Allow it to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then cut into about 30 fingers while still warm before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
