Something about DC in January when it still feels so cold and dark and wintry and all the lights are coming down and all the vacation is used up is a downer. My siblings are back in their respective states, David is back to school and we're all trying to lose weight, exercise more and stick to a budget. On the bright side, the vortex has moved on, all the post Christmas sales are amazing and I have loads and loads of free time. This week (while wearing PINS) I decided it was time to revisit my favourite cookie, one that didn't get made this Christmas in the hustle and bustle of gingerbread and chocolate thumbprints. The toffee-shortbread cookie. It hails from my mother's childhood in Scotland and if you have a weekend full of pins to make or badgers to stitch nothing will keep you happier than an enormous pot of tea and a pan of toffee short bread. The crunchy shortbread and the gooey toffee and chocolate, sweet heaven the chocolate.

Shortbread
8 oz Flour
8 oz butter
2 oz caster sugar

Mix all the ingredients together until it resembles bread crumbs or wet sand and press it into a cake tin. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes and let it cool.

Toffee
4 oz caster sugar
4 oz butter
2 tablespoons Lyle's Golden Syrup
14 oz tin of sweetened condensed milk
6 oz of semi-sweet chocolate

Mix all the ingredients in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil, boil for 5 minutes stirring constantly. Take the toffee off the heat and let it cool. Once its cool, spread it over the shortbread. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler and pour it over the toffee. Let it cool and slice.