Douglas Fir Shortbread Cookies

Drogo
Servings

22 - 23

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

These cookies might look like regular shortbread but they will keep people guessing. What’s the flavour? Serve a plate of these glittering cookies with your drinks and nibbles or for a present opening session around the tree. Any extra Douglas fir needles look lovely on the plate as decoration.

Makes around 30 x 2-inch biscuits.

Ingredients

  • 10g Douglas fir pine needles (weight stripped from branch)
  • 240g plain flour
  • 180g unsalted butter
  • 85g caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
  • Large pinch fine salt

Directions

  1. Step 1, Preheat the oven to 170C.In a high powered blender or spice grinder, process the caster sugar and Douglas fir pine needles until blended and as fine as you can get them. Transfer to a sieve over a bowl and rub the sugar through using a spoon leaving the stringy pine needles behind. Weigh the sugar - you should have 70g. If not, top up with a bit of extra sugar.
  2. Step 2, Beat the butter and sugar together until smooth.
  3. Step 3, Stir in the flour and salt, taking care not to overwork the mixture.Turn the mix out onto a surface and use your hands to flatten it until it’s roughly 1cm thick. Cut out shapes of your choice using a cookie cutter, transfer to a baking tray and sprinkle with caster sugar. Transfer to the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.
  4. Step 4, Bake for 25-30 mins until pale golden, taking care not to overbake them, as they will turn bitter. Allow to cool before serving.