Espresso and cranberry shortbread

ingredients

• • 200 gram butter, very soft
  • 1 cup (about 110g) icing sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
  • 2 teaspoon fine-ground espresso
  • pinch salt
  • 1 1/2 cup gluten-free flour
  • 3 tablespoon (heaped tbsp) cornflour
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped

method

• • 1

    Preheat oven to 160°C.

  • 2

    In the bowl of a food processor, beat the butter and icing sugar until the mixture is very smooth.

  • 3

    Add the vanilla, espresso and salt, then pulse to combine.

  • 4

    Add the flours, pulsing only until it disappears into the dough (don’t overwork the dough once the flour is incorporated).

  • 5

    Put mixture into a bowl and work in the cranberries, either with your hands or a sturdy rubber spatula.

  • 6

    Transfer the soft, sticky dough to a sheet of baking paper dusted with flour.

  • 7

    Lightly dust the top of the dough, patting down slightly, and cover with another sheet of baking paper.

  • 8

    Using a light touch and short, quick strokes, roll out the dough with a rolling pin, turning occasionally to achieve a square or rectangle about 1cm thick.

  • 9

    Remove the top piece of baking paper and refrigerate the dough for 10-15 minutes if it feels too delicate to handle.

  • 10

    Transfer the dough on the baking paper to a baking tray. Cut into 15-20 squares, easing each square away from the other so there are some gaps between each.

  • 11

    Prick the tops with a fork, gently pushing the tines through until they hit the baking paper.

  • 12

    Bake in the middle of the oven for 20-25 minutes. The shortbread will still be pale but not doughy and it may have coloured a bit around the edges. Transfer to a rack to cool.

notes

Gluten-free flours containing rice flour are ideal for making shortbread as they produce a finely textured shortbread that melts in the mouth.