Espresso Shortbread

Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°F).
Prepare a 9x9” baking pan 23x23 cm) by lining it with aluminum foil, then greasing it lightly (I used baking spray).
Since I don’t own a 9x9” pan, I improvised by folding the aluminum foil to form a square of those dimensions and bolstering it with additional foil.

Add the white sugar a little at a time to the butter and cream on medium-high speed. I used three additions of the sugar, scraping the bowl before each addition. I creamed the butter for about 6 minutes until the color had lightened and the texture was fluffy.

Meanwhile, combine all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until very slightly browned. The shortbread will appear to have set.
Allow the shortbread to cool for 15 minutes, then score the top with a sharp knife to make squares of the desired size.

After scoring, remove the shortbread from the pan and allow to cool an additional 10 minutes before fully cutting into squares.

If desired, melt some chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave, then drizzle onto the shortbread as shown. The shortbread is great without any chocolate, though!

Store in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days.