Lavender Shortbread Hearts
Classic, crumbly shortbread with a fun twist- the lavender flavour and cute heart shape make these biscuits perfect for a Bridgerton-themed watch party.
Servings 10 - 12 biscuits
Equipment
- Heart-shaped cookie cutter
Ingredients
- 1/4 tsp dried lavender, (see Note 1).
- 60 g butter, softened (see Note 2).
- 30 g caster sugar, plus extra for dredging.
- 60 g plain flour
- 30 g rice flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (conventional oven) Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and set aside.
- Grind the dried lavender into a powder. I use a mortar and pestle for this, but you could also use a spice grinder. Set aside.
- Place the softened butter into a medium-sized bowl, along with the caster sugar. Cream together until light and fluffy. I use an handheld electric whisk for this, but you could use a freestanding mixer (fitted with a paddle attachment) or a wooden spoon, if you prefer.
- Sift both flours into the butter mixture, then add the ground lavender. Mix briefly until a dough starts to form, then switch to your hands to bring the dough together into a smooth ball.
- Roll the dough out on a clean, lightly floured work surface, until it is about 1cm thick. Using the heart-shaped cutter, stamp out as many biscuits as possible and transfer them to the prepared baking tray. Re-roll and cut more shapes as needed, trying you best not to overwork the dough.
- Use a fork to prick the surface of each biscuit, to prevent the shortbread from bubbling up, then bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, until just golden around the edges.
- As soon as the shortbread comes out of the oven, dredge each biscuit with extra caster sugar before allowing to cool completely on the tray. Once cool, shake off any excess sugar and serve. The shortbread will keep in an airtight container, at room temperature, for 3-4 days.
Notes
- Make sure the dried lavender that you use is culinary-grade. I use this brand.
- You can use either salted or unsalted butter for this recipe (the difference is barely noticeable), though I tend to use unsalted by preference.