Walnut shortbread

Serves 6

225g ground walnuts

175g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

110g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting

110g plain flour vanilla essence Preheat the oven to 150°C/gas mark 2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and icing sugar together and fold in the flour and walnuts. Lastly, add the vanilla essence. Leave to chill for at least 1 hr. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the shortbread to just over 1cm thick and cut into bars. Bake on a lightly greased baking tray for 7-10 mins until a light golden colour. Leave to cool on a wire rack before dusting with icing sugar and serving as an accompaniment to a hot drink.

“As joy delights in; and, with wise restraint Voluptuous, fearless of a rival, eyed The banquet;--or beneath the trees I sate” William Wordsworth, ‘Nutting’