l wanted to make some shortbread biscuits to send as presents for Easter this year so I decided on some with currants and mixed peel based on my Easter biscuit recipe.
Shortbread has a lot of butter in the recipe as this is what gives it melt in the mouth texture. It is well worth buying a good quality butter for this recipe as it really does make a difference.
Start by lining two baking trays with baking parchment, then in a stand mixer cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Weigh the the flour, cornflour, cinnamon and mixed spice into a bowl and set aside.
Weigh the currants and mixed peel into a small bowl and add a tablespoon of the flour mixture and mix. This will stop the mixed peel sticking together.
Add the flour mixture gradually to the butter mixture until it comes together as a soft dough.
Then add the currants and mixed peel and mix again until fully incorporated.
On a floured surface roll the dough out to 1/2 cm thickness and cut out into shapes (approx 20 biscuits). I used a 5cm flower cutter but any shaped cutter will work.
Place the biscuits onto the prepared trays and chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 180 degrees centigrade (160 fan) then take the biscuits out of the fridge and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with some extra caster sugar. Leave to cool slightly on the trays then transfer to a baking tray.
Easter Shortbread
Sarah’s servings: 20
Sarah’s skill: Easy
Baking time: 15-20 minutes
Ingredients:
200g Butter
100g Golden Caster Sugar
200g Plain Flour
85g Cornflour
1/2tsp Ground cinnamon
1/2tsp Mixed spice
75g Currants
25g Mixed peel Extra caster sugar for decoration.
Method:
Line two baking trays with baking parchment.
In a stand mixer cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Weigh the the flour, cornflour, cinnamon and mixed spice into a bowl.
Weigh the currants and mixed peel into a small bowl and add a tablespoon of the flour mixture and mix. This will stop the mixed peel sticking together.
Add the flour mixture gradually to the butter mixture until it comes together as a soft dough.
Then add the currants and mixed peel and mix again until fully incorporated.
On a floured surface roll the dough out to 1/2 cm thickness and cut out into shapes (approx 20 biscuits). Place the biscuits onto the prepared trays and chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 180 degrees centigrade (160 fan).
Take the biscuits out of the fridge and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with some extra caster sugar. Leave to cool slightly on the trays then transfer to a baking tray.
Sarah’s extra slice......
You can use any shaped cutter but I used a 5cm flower cutter.
Always use a good quality butter when making shortbread it really makes a difference to the taste!
If you don’t like mixed peel then you could use the zest of an orange or lemon instead.