Festival Shortbreads

Name: Festival Shortbreads
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 60 g (2 oz) cornflour; 125 g (4½ oz) almonds, blanched; 2 × 15 ml spoon (2 tablespoons) ouzo, Pernod or brandy; 300 g (11 oz) plain flour; 60 g (2 oz) caster sugar; 1 large egg yolk (size 1–2); 250 g (9 oz) unsalted or lightly salted butter; triple-distilled rose water, or orange flower water; 500 g (1–1¼ lb) icing sugar

Preparation info

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Cooking of the Mediterranean

By Jane Grigson

Published 1991

About

Shortbreads must be among the world’s most popular biscuits. In this Greek version, almonds are sometimes added and a final dip in rose or orange flower water and then in icing sugar gives the crisp, plump crescents a delicate, fragrant air.

Ingredients

250 g (9 oz) unsalted or lightly salted butter
60 g (

Europe
Greece
Mediterranean
Vegetarian
Cookies

Method

Cream the butter and add the sugar, egg yolk and alcohol. Grind the almonds, skins and all: they should be much coarser and browner than bought ground almonds. Add to the butter mixture and then work in the cornflour and enough plain flour to give a firm, soft dough (you may need a little more flour). Use an electric mixer or processor, or electric beater, if you like to mix the dough.