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