We’re continuing with the festive theme for December’s Cakes & Bakes – this week’s recipe being delicious Christmas spiced shortbread.
These shortbreads have lots of plus points. They’re quite simple to prepare at this busy time of year, they look very attractive… and they fill the house with wonderful Christmas aromas too.
Simply combine all the ingredients together, press the pastry into moulds, release and bake.
They’d make a lovely home-made gift for someone special, wrap them up with pretty paper & string or present them in a glass jar decorated with ribbon, holly and/or fir cones. Alternatively, treat yourself to a batch – perfect with a warming cup of tea after a winter walk… or perhaps a glass of sweet sherry or port.
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- 175g/6oz/¾ cup plain flour
- 50g/2oz/½ cup cornflour
- 1tsp mixed spice (or you could make your own from equal parts of ground cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger)
- 25g/1oz/¼ cup caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
- 25g/1oz/¼ cup soft brown sugar
- 115g/4oz/½ cup unsalted butter, chopped
- 1tsp vanilla paste
- Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas mark 3. Lightly flour the moulds (rice flour works well) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
- Sift the flour, cornflour and mixed into a mixing bowl. Mix in the sugars
- Rub the butter and vanilla paste into the spiced flour & sugar mixture until it binds together and you can knead it into a soft dough
- Place the dough into the mould and press to fit evenly and neatly (I went over it a couple of times with a rolling pin). Invert the mould on to the baking sheet and tap firmly to release the dough shape
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, until golden in colour
- Sprinkle the top of the shortbread with a little caster sugar and cool on a baking sheet
- Cut the large rounds into 'petticoat tails' while still warm
- We can attest that these are lovely with a little glass of sweet sherry!