Chocolate pistachio shortbread

ingredients

• Chocolate pistachio shortbread

  • 1/2 cup (70g) roasted unsalted pistachios
  • 250 gram (8 ounces) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup (160g) icing (confectioners') sugar
  • 1 1/4 cup (185g) plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 1/2 cup (100g) rice flour cup
  • 35 gram dutch cocoa powder

method

• Chocolate pistachio shortbread

  • 1

    Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan forced). Line two large oven trays with baking paper.

  • 2

    Process half the nuts until finely ground, finely chop remaining nuts.

  • 3

    Beat butter and sifted icing sugar in a small bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Transfer mixture to a large bowl, stir in sifted flours, cocoa and ground nuts, in two batches. Turn dough onto floured surface, knead until smooth.

  • 4

    Divide dough into two portions, roll each between sheets of baking paper into 23cm (9-inch) rounds, place on trays. Mark each round into 12 wedges, prick with a fork. Using floured fingers, pinch a frill around each shortbread, sprinkle with chopped nuts.

  • 5

    Bake about 30 minutes. Cool shortbreads on trays before cutting into wedges.

notes

The ultimate Christmas indulgence ­ these cookies are full of rich and luxurious ingredients ­ cocoa, butter, sugar and pistachios ­ it will be hard to stop them disappearing from the cookie jar. Use a cake pan or plate to mark a circle on the dough, then cut the dough into a neat round.