There’s something about shortbread at Christmas time. The crunch, the texture, the flavour!

I’ve been making my own shortbread for years (in fact, I used to sell it on my wholefoods ‘Laura’s Delights’ stall at the Townsville Cotter’s Market back in 2004)!!.

It always features in homemade Christmas gifts I prepare for relatives, teachers and carers and I generally make an extra large batch for my Mother-in-Law. She bundles it up and hides it so she can enjoy for weeks after Christmas (while dishing out other ‘treats’ for her guests).

Yup, it’s THAT good!

And now I’m sharing it with you……. ENJOY!!

Ingredients

  • 250g butter (I make mine in my Thermomix from organic Paris Creek cream but normal butter is fine… just don’t use margarine!)
  • 110g rapadura sugar
  • 300g plain wholemeal flour (I use Biodynamic 85% Light Flour from Four Leaf Milling)
  • 75g brown rice (to make rice flour…. you can just buy rice flour but by grinding brown rice you get the wholegrain)
  • 75g macadamia nuts
  • 40g rapadura sugar, extra

Method

  • Place macadamia nuts on a tray and bake in a 150°C oven until roasted and lightly brown. Cool.
  • Place brown rice in a food processor and grind until fine, place aside.
  • Blitz cool macadamia nuts in food processor for a couple of seconds. Be careful not to overgrind – you want them in 1mm size pieces or so and not a nut paste.
  • Beat butter and 110g rapadura sugar together in a bowl until fluffy and lightly aerated.
  • Sift in plain flour and ground brown rice (or rice flour). Add the ground macadamia nuts and gently press mixture together to form a ball. Knead lightly.
  • Divide mixture in half and place each half between two sheets of baking paper.
  • Preheat oven to 155°C.
  • Gently roll out each portion and using a cookie cutter, cut out desired shapes (I like Christmas stars).
  • Place on tray lined with baking paper and dot with a fork. Sprinkle with spare rapadura sugar and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
  • Bake shortbread for 10-15 minutes or until lightly golden. Do not overbake.
  • Cool shortbread on a wire rack and enjoy!

 


Laura