Saffron Shortbread
Serves: 4 - 6 people
Takes: Over 1 hour
Shortbread is truly delicious and if you make it yourself you can really play around with the flavours. I love to use the delicate aroma and flavour of saffron, but you can use cinnamon, ginger and even lemon. Anything goes!
Ingredients
225g unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon salt
75g caster sugar
225g plain flour
75g rice flour
good pinch of saffron
1 tablespoon milk, warmed
Method
Cream the butter, sugar and salt in a mixer or by hand using a wooden spoon.
When pale and fluffy add the rice flour and plain flour and mix well until it is all combined.
Steep the saffron in warm milk for a few minutes before adding to the dough and mixing well.
Lay out on a surface and bring the dough together. Try not to over handle the dough or your shortbread will be tough.
Using your rolling pin, gently tap the dough until it is a rough rectangle shape (or any shape you like). You can stamp/cut out your shapes after it is chilled.
Wrap in cling film and place in the fridge to set for a few hours.
Preheat the oven to 160°C.
Once the shortbread has set remove from the fridge and remove the cling film.
Cut into ½ cm slices or roll and cut using a cookie cutter, lay on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20 - 30 minutes (or less time if your shapes are thin) and bake until slightly golden but still pale in colour. Keep an eye on them as they change colour quickly at the end.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.
