Vanilla shortbread dough

• plain flour↗325g g
• chilled salted butter↗200g g
• golden caster sugar↗125g/4½oz g
• good-quality vanilla extract↗2 tsp tsp
• large free range egg yolks↗2

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Tip the flour into a food processor. Cut the butter into small pieces and drop them into the bowl, then whizz until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.

2. 2

   Add the sugar, vanilla and egg yolks and whizz to a small dough.

3. 3

   Tip the dough onto a sheet of non-stick baking parchment and use the paper to roll the dough into a log shape, twisting the ends like a cracker. Chill for 3 hours or overnight.

4. 4

   Heat oven to 180C/160C fan. Slice the log into 1cm-thick rounds and arrange on a baking sheet leaving gaps between them.

5. 5

   Bake for 15-20 mins until golden. Leave to firm on baking sheet for 3-4 mins then transfer to a wire rack.