Cardamom Shortbread

Cardamom-shortbread
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Simple PleasuresRecipe courtesy of Simple Pleasures by Julia Busuttil Nishimura, published by Plum, RRP: $49.99, photography by Armelle Habib.

I made these cardamom shortbread to serve at a little Christmas market I hosted and they were an undeniable crowd-pleaser. Perfumed with cardamom, I now make these every Christmas – and in between – as they are so popular and well loved. You can really use any size or shape tin you like to press the dough into; however, the shortbread should be around 2–2.5 cm thick. And while cardamom is a sure favourite, I have also played around with other spices – sometimes adding cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg, especially during the festive season.

Cardamom-shortbreadMAKES 14

Ingredients

  • 250 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 125 g caster sugar
  • 350 g (2 1/3 cups) plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom seeds

CARDAMOM SUGAR

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom seeds
  • 2 tablespoons caster sugar

Method

Line a 25 cm x 20 cm x 5 cm baking tray with baking paper. Set aside.

Place the butter and sugar in the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on a low speed until combined, but not creamed. Add the flour, salt and cardamom and continue to beat until just coming together. The dough will still look crumbly.

Tip the dough onto the tray and use your hands to press it in. Cover with a piece of baking paper and smooth the top with the base of a cup or glass.

Remove the paper and use a sharp knife to cut the dough into fourteen rectangles. Prick each rectangle a few times with a fork.

Combine the cardamom sugar ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

Sprinkle half the cardamom sugar over the shortbread, reserving the remaining sugar, and chill for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 170°C fan-forced (190°C conventional).

Bake the shortbread for 25–30 minutes or until lightly golden. Immediately sprinkle the reserved cardamom sugar over the top and re-cut the previously made cuts. When cool, re-cut the shortbread again and transfer to an airtight container to keep for up to a week.