Raspberry and hazelnut shortbreads
TIP: The unfilled biscuits can be stored in a tin for three to four days.
INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE SHORTBREAD
100g (4oz) hazelnuts
175g (6oz) plain flour
50g (2oz) caster sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
150g (5oz) butter, diced
FOR THE FILLING
200ml (7fl oz) double cream
2 tablespoons icing sugar, plus
little extra to decorate
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
300g (11oz) raspberries
METHOD:
1. Toast the hazelnuts under the grill until lightly browned, then roughly chop 25g (1oz) of the nuts and reserve for the top. Finely chop the remainder then leave to cool.
2. Put the flour into a bowl, add the sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and butter and rub the butter in with fingertips until it resembles fine crumbs.
3. Stir in the finely chopped hazelnuts then squeeze the crumbs together with fingertips until they form a ball. Knead lightly then roll out on a lightly floured surface and cut 12 7.5cm (3inch) hearts with a biscuit cutter, re-rolling and trimming as needed.
4. Put shortbread hearts on to ungreased baking sheets and cook at 160°C / 325°F / gas mark 3 for about 15 minutes, until pale golden. Leave to cool on the baking sheets.
5. When you’re almost ready to serve, whip the cream, icing sugar and vanilla until it forms soft swirls. Crumble in half the raspberries then spoon the cream over six biscuits, keeping a little back for the tops. Press a biscuit on the top of each then decorate with the remaining cream, the whole raspberries and a sprinkling of the roughly chopped nuts. Transfer to serving plates and dust with a little sifted icing sugar.