Originating in the 12th century as a ‘biscuit bread’ made from leftover bread dough, what we know as shortbread is the result of much refinement over the years that saw it use butter (instead of yeast), flour and sugar, which provides the sweet taste we know and love today.
Seen as an expensive luxury, set aside for special occasions, such as Christmas, Hogmanay, and weddings, shortbread was fit for a queen. In the 16th century, Mary, Queen of Scots brought her French chefs to Edinburgh, and they baked a more delicate shortbread, including‘petticoat tails’ (shortbread cut into triangles), of which the queen was particularly fond.
Her enjoyment of this treat is believed to have contributed significantly to the rise in popularity of shortbread in Scotland, which has endured ever since.…
