Classic shortbread

Ingredients:

• 330 g unsalted butter, room temperature, plus extra for greasing the pan
• 3 cups premium flour
• 6 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

Preparation:

1. Position the oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease a 22x30x1 cm baking pan with butter and line it with parchment paper, then grease the paper with butter.
2. Combine flour, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl. Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until the dough is smooth; do not overbeat.
3. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan, spreading it out as evenly as possible with a spatula. Cover with plastic wrap, then press down with your hands to smooth the dough into an even layer. Remove the wrap and use a sharp knife to cut the dough into strips approximately 2.5 x 7 cm in size. Prick the surface with a fork to create a pattern.
4. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until golden brown, 60-70 minutes. Let stand in the pan for 5 minutes.
   
   
   When measuring flour, spoon it into a dry measuring cup and remove any excess. Scooping flour directly from the bag with a measuring cup will compact it, resulting in dry baked goods.
5. Then cut the bars again along the previous cuts. Carefully lift the cookies from the parchment with a small spatula and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days..