These creations really took me back to my childhood and now I could make my own as they don't exist here south of the border. Having never attempted shortbread before, I imagined that it was a simpler process than I had believed.
Using my partner's Granny's shortbread recipe I endeavoured to give it a go and I must say they are absolutely delicious!!
Weighing the ingredients into a bowl and working them in with your fingers it's amazing that after some minutes the alchemy begins. The ingredients first form like bread crumbs, it then starts forming in to larger and larger pieces until it combines in to a large bowl.
Then on a floured surface I work the dough for a very short time and then with a floured rolling pin roll the dough to the required thickness. Then with a cooking cutter commence cutting the dough in to circles and transfer to a baking tray. Be careful not to use to large a cutter as these delicious biscuits are extremely filling as well as very, very sweet. Repeat the process until all the dough is used up.
Simply place in the preheated oven and bake for 10 - 12 minutes, if like me you have a fan assisted oven be aware that they will bake a little faster and you do not over bake.
Remove from the oven when they begin to turn golden and leave to rest for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Meantime mix the icing sugar with water to desired thickness. When biscuits are completely cool spread one biscuit with jam then top with another and so on. I never use an icing bag just two spoons to apply the icing which works pretty well although not to neat and tidy still has desired effect. Place a glace cherry on each biscuit or you can use candied peel, I have even seen a jelly tot or even a small liquorice allsort used to top these wonderful treats.
Ingredients (for about 20 biscuits)
250g unsalted butter
250g plain flour
125g icing sugar
125g corn flour
Strawberry or raspberry jam
24 glacé cherries
Icing:
Icing sugar
Water
Method
1. Mix the ingredients into a bowl until you have a ball of dough in your hand.
2. Roll the dough with a floured rolling pin and create a circle about ¼ inch thick.
3. Use a cooking cutter to prise out 40 circular shapes.
4. Place the 40 pieces on a baking tray.
5. Place in oven at 180ºC for 10-12 mins.
6. Remove from oven before golden brown.
7. Leave to cool.
8. To ice the biscuits mix icing sugar and water in a bowl.
9. Put strawberry or raspberry jam on 12 of the pieces and top with the other 20 pieces.
10. Ice the biscuits, using an icing bag.
11. Pop a glacé cherry on the top of each biscuit for decoration.
