Name: Currant & lemon shortbread with vanilla glaze
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: Currant & lemon shortbread; 250 gram flour; 90 gram pure icing sugar; scraped seeds 1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste; finely grated zest 1 lemon; 1 teaspoon sea salt; 125 gram chilled butter, coarsely chopped; 30 gram currants; 20 gram candied lemon (optional), diced; 2 egg yolks; Vanilla glaze; 1/4 cup caster sugar; scraped seeds 1 vanilla bean; 50 millilitre water; 180 gram pure icing sugar, sieved; 10 gram butter

Currant & lemon shortbread with vanilla glaze

These iced lemon-scented biscuits are a great pantry standby and make the perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea. Photography and recipe by Gourmet Traveller.

Currant and lemon shortbread with vanilla glaze

Serves 12

Cook

45M

Ingredients

Currant & lemon shortbread

250 gram flour

90 gram pure icing sugar

scraped seeds 1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

finely grated zest 1 lemon

1 teaspoon sea salt

125 gram chilled butter, coarsely chopped

30 gram currants

20 gram candied lemon (optional), diced

2 egg yolks

Vanilla glaze

1/4 cup caster sugar

scraped seeds 1 vanilla bean

50 millilitre water

180 gram pure icing sugar, sieved

10 gram butter

Method

1.Blend flour, sugar, vanilla seeds, zest and sea salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter, currants and candied lemon and process until a sandy texture. Add yolks, process to just combine, and tip out onto a work surface.

2.Preheat oven to 180°C. Cut out rounds with a 6cm cutter, place on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake, turning tray occasionally, until golden around the edges (10-12 minutes). Set aside to cool on trays for 5 minutes.

3.For the vanilla glaze, stir sugar, vanilla seeds and water in a saucepan over medium-high heat to dissolve sugar. Bring to the boil and cook until a light syrup forms (1-2 minutes). Remove from heat, add icing sugar, butter and 1-2 Tbsp hot water to achieve a smooth glazing consistency.

4.Dip one side of the warm shortbread biscuits into vanilla glaze, allowing excess to drip off, place on a tray lined with baking paper and stand until set (10-15 minutes). Store in an airtight container.