Shortbread

About 45 minutes from starting to sitting down, and it is straightforward. Most of that is active, so read the method through before you start rather than chopping as you go.

Press it together into a dough. Do not knead — the less you work it the shorter and more crumbly it stays.

Use plain atta for a denser, nuttier result, or a 50/50 mix if you want to keep some lift.

Yes, and it is better for it. Cool it fully, refrigerate for up to three days, and reheat gently with a splash of water. The flavours settle overnight.

Yes, it is vegetarian. It is not vegan as written because it contains dairy; swap the dairy for a plant alternative and the rest of the method is unchanged.

Yes, this one needs an oven. If you do not have one, look at the no-oven filter on the baking page: eleven of the bakes here are built for a cooker, a pan or the fridge.

On its own, warm, with tea or coffee. Baking is chemistry, so scale it by weight rather than by eye: double every quantity, use a tin with roughly double the area, and expect to add ten minutes or so. Judge it by the skewer, not the clock.