EXQUISITE LIME & ALMOND SHORTBREAD, easy, egg-free, wheat-free option

Exquisitely scented, beautifully textured biscuits worthy of the most special guests

Lime Almond Shortbread with Lime Icing, Easy-Peasy
'They smell gorgeous; the lime is exquisitely delicate' Tasters

Need something special for favoured guests?  These beautiful biscuits will convert even the most reluctant eater of sweets.

They take only minutes to prepare but offer aeons of pleasure.

Conventional flour can be replaced with lower-gluten, higher protein Spelt flour.

Like most baked goods, they are best on the day but will keep in an air-tight tin for 3 days.  

Cost:  £2
Makes: 24 biscuit but the recipe halves easily

Ingred:
    5 1/2oz/155gm plain flour 
   generous 2oz/60gm self-raising flour 
   1 tsp baking powder
   1 1/2 oz/45gms ground almonds
   1/2 tsp salt
     
   8 oz/250 gm softened unsalted butter, left out overnight or zapped in the microwave for 20 sec  
   4 oz/125 gm icing sugar
   
  1 tsp vanilla extract
   zest 2 limes
   2 tbsp lime juice
   75g coarsely chopped whole almonds

Lime Drizzle
   2oz/60gm icing sugar
   1-2 tbsp lime juice

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 300f, 150c, gas 2-3.  Line 9x12 inch/30x23 cm tin or equiv. with greaseproof paper (use a bit of dough to stick corners down see How to...prepare tins for baking)
2. Toast whole almonds in the oven 3-5 mins; keeping a careful eye on them, they burn easily; chop coarsely
3. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt, using a fine-mesh sieve.  Stir in ground almonds until well mixed
4. Using electric beaters or a free-standing mixer, beat butter & icing sugar until smooth & light coloured, about 3 mins
5. Beat in vanilla, lime zest & lime juice.  
6. Add flours; beat on low speed; stir in chopped nuts. 
7. The mix will be thick; scrape into tin, pushing dough into sides & corners; level with spatula or knife  
8. Bake 40 mins until top changes from shiny to dull & it feels firm 
9. As soon as the tin comes out of the oven, cut shortbread in the tin into fingers or squares 
10. Leave 30 mins, then move to a wire rack until completely cool
11. Lime Drizzle: Sift icing sugar, slowly add lime juice until the icing is the right consistency to drizzle over biscuits 

Tip: 

• A 50-50 split of white & wholemeal flour will make a healthier biscuit.  When sifting, bran will be leftover; simply mix it in.  

For more biscuits, go to NavBar: Recipes 1/Cookies 

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This recipe has  been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.