You probably already have them in your pantry – you could be chowing down on some delicious, homemade biscuits and a nice cup of coffee in less than an hour.

All you need is plain flour, sugar and butter.

The origins of Alison McInerney's shortbread recipe are as humble as the recipe itself.

“I went to a school fete down at Kiewa Valley Primary and bought some shortbread from the cake stall,” she said.

“Everything you buy from those stalls has to have all the ingredients on it, but this one came with the recipe as well.

“You wouldn’t believe how easy it is to make.”  

Simplicity is the name of the game for Mrs McInerny.

Since bringing home the first batch of shortbread and subsequently making her own, they’ve become a firm family favourite.

“Shortbreads are yum, they’re crisp, and they’re just easy to make,” she said.

“They’re very moreish.

“It’s traditional to eat them on New Year’s Day too – that’s something I enjoy doing.” 

The mother of five kids, cooking has always been about embracing simplicity for Mrs McInerney, something she says she’s been able to pass on to all of them.

“Generally I keep things pretty simple, although occasionally I’ll try something new or vary something I’ve already done in some way,” she said.

“It’s about being creative – when you cook you create something from nothing.

“It can actually be quite therapeutic.

“Cooking is a necessity, so I figure if you’re going to to cook you might as well make something tasty that you get a sense of enjoyment from.

“We’ve always cooked our own food, all five of our kids have learned to cook and to clean.

“It was good, some took to it and some didn’t, but all of them can cook a decent meal.

“Cooking is a skill for life, but you don’t want it to be a chore.” 

Making the three-ingredient shortbread is as far from a chore as you could get for Mrs McInerney.

The truth is that it’s rather relaxing.

“You have to knead the dough a little bit to get the butter through,” she said.

“I actually like to sit on the couch in my apron and knead the dough.”

Despite only having three ingredients, Mrs McInerney says it’s best not to mess with the recipe – after all, baking is a fine art.

“Baking is a science, I always weigh out all my ingredients exactly and follow the recipe to a tee,” she said.

“The same goes with cakes, or biscuits, everything must be exact.”

For the McInerneys, shortbread isn't in short supply.

Alison McInerney's three-ingredient shortbread

Ingredients:

340 grams plain flour

220 grams butter

110 grams sugar

Method:

Rub the butter into the dry ingredients.

Knead well, until the ingredients form a dough.

Place on a floured board and flatten until it's roughly half an inch thick.

Cut into fingers, and prick with a fork.

Bake in a moderate oven until lightly covered.

Hints:

Make sure all the ingredients are the very best you can buy – no homebrands.

The butter must be good hard butter. If it is hard (cold), I soften it before adding the dry ingredients.

More rather than less kneading seems to make the shortbreads more short.

Six things I can’t cook without:

Onions, garlic, celery, other vegetables, nice Global knives, tomatoes. If you have these you can make almost everything.