Valentine's Recipe

Why not whip up a batch of decadent pistachio shortbread hearts and surprise your loved one with this treat that they won’t soon forget?

Ingredients:

250g unsalted butter, cold
250g plain flour
125g corn flour
125g icing sugar
100g pistachios
Caster sugar for sprinkling

Makes about 20 shortbreads

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 180ºC and line two baking trays with baking paper.

Place the sugar and flours in a bowl. Cut the butter into cubes and add to the flour mixture. Using your hands, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture starts to resemble breadcrumbs. Continue working the mixture until it starts to come together into dough. This takes a while, but keep at it. Add in the pistachios and work them into the dough.

If you have a standing mixer, place the flours and sugar into the bowl. Add the butter in cubes and then, using the beater attachment, beat on a medium speed until the dough comes together.

When the dough has formed, wrap it in cling-film and allow it to rest for 20 minutes in the fridge. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough on a very lightly dusted surface until it is 1/2cm thick.  Because the dough is short it may crumble at the edges. If you struggle to roll it out without cracks appearing, divide the dough into two parts and roll them out separately. Using a heart-shaped cutter, cut shapes into the dough. If you find the dough is sticking slightly to the workspace, slide a palette knife underneath to release the shapes. Combine the leftover parts and roll out again. Place your shapes on the lined baking trays and bake for 12-15 minutes, until slightly golden. As soon as you’ve removed the shortbreads from the oven, dust them lightly with caster sugar. Cool completely on the trays before storing in an airtight container. They will keep for a week.