We all needed a bit of a pick me up this morning. Emerson had a trip to the hospital last night with breathing problems. Turns out he tested positive for RSV (I had to google it) and apparently it’s very common in little ones but it’s actually rather scary when they are so little as he was so wheezy and in distress. He’s not a happy camper today and anyone who has met emerson knows that he is ALWAYS happy and smiley so he’s getting lots of cuddles and retro daddy and I are taking it in turns to sit on the couch with him and pass him between us
Thankfully we have a special mass at school today so our morning mass wasn’t on and it’s 4pm instead. What timing. We all slept in and stayed in our pjs. And I realised I didn’t have a blog post scheduled for this morning and we had no biscuits or cake in the house either. So I thought I’d make something sweet and blog about it. I always love to do shortbread at Christmas time and with a scottish grandma it always goes down well. I always do a plain version but I had some pistachios and cranberries left over from the rocky road I made last week and decided to give them a try. And I have to say that this is a winner.
If you have a Thermomix then you’re going to love this recipe because you can get all earth mothery and say I made this shortbread from scratch – I ground the rice to make rice flour and made my own caster and icing sugar. And I only buy rice flour at Christmas time and then it sits in my pantry for the rest of the year so I love making my own rice flour. It’s genius. But if you don’t have a Thermomix, don’t worry. I’ve made a recipe card for you too. I’m nice like that.
- 100g rice or rice flour
- 75g dried cranberries/craisins
- 50g pistachios (shelled, unsalted)
- 250g butter, cold and cubed
- 100g caster sugar
- 200g plain flour
- dash vanilla extract/essence
- icing sugar to serve
- Place rice in TM bowl and mill on speed 9 for up to 2 minutes. Set aside
- Place cranberries and pistachios in TM bowl and on closed lid setting pulse on Turbo two times. Set aside.
- Place caster sugar, rice flour, butter, plain flour and vanilla in TM bowl and process 20 to 30 seconds on speed 6.
- Add in cranberries and pistachos and process for at least 1 minute on closed lid setting and interval speed. I then like to tip out to a big bowl and check the fruit and nuts are distributed evenly. It's just nice to get your hands in and taste the mixture, of course.
- Divide mixture into 2 and form each into a flat round on lined baking trays. I like to flatten to just over 1cm in thickness, pinch the edges between two of your fingers and make it look all pretty.
- You can also just refrigerate your dough at this stage just form into a ball, wrap well in gladwrap and refrigerate for later in the day or freeze for another day.
- Bake in a preheated 160C/300F oven for at least 30 minutes - I left this in for 40 minutes and so it's looking a little golden but try to keep your shortbread as pale as possible.
- When it comes out of the oven grab a regular knife and gently trace lines in your biscuit and with a fork make a few pricks in the biscuit around the circle. You don't want your knife to touch the bottom just go half way through your mixture.
- Leave to cool completely, dust with icing sugar and serve or wrap up and giveaway.
- 100g rice flour
- 75g dried cranberries/craisins
- 50g pistachios (shelled, unsalted)
- 250g butter, cold and cubed
- 100g caster sugar
- 200g plain flour
- dash vanilla extract/essence
- icing sugar to serve
- Roughly chop cranberries and pistachios.
- Place caster sugar, rice flour, butter, plain flour and vanilla in food processor or kitchen aid and mix together for at least 1 minute.
- If you want to go old school rub your butter into the flours with your finger tips before adding sugar and vanilla.
- Add in cranberries and pistachos and using your hands or a wooden spoon ensure they are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
- Divide your mixture into 2 equal balls and form each into a flat round on lined baking trays. I like to flatten to just over 1cm in thickness, pinch the edges between two of your fingers and make it look all pretty.
- You can also just refrigerate your dough at this stage by just forming into a ball, wrapping well in gladwrap and refrigerate it for later in the day or freeze for another day.
- Bake in a preheated 160C/300F oven for at least 30 minutes – I left this in for 40 minutes and so it’s looking a little golden but try to keep your shortbread as pale as possible.
- When it comes out of the oven grab a regular knife and gently trace lines in your biscuit and with a fork make a few pricks in the biscuit around the circle. You don’t want your knife to touch the bottom just go half way through your mixture.
- Leave to cool completely, dust with icing sugar and serve or wrap up and giveaway.
Let me know if you’re a fan of baking shortbread too! This one is deliciously buttery, just how I like it and I love the festive colours in it.
Hi Corrie! More yumminess, for Christmas. Good idea using the Chrissy colours too. i’m so sorry to hear your little ones have been unwell, It’s so hard when they are struggling with illness and there’s not much you can do but comfort. You & Retrodaddy are doing a wonderful job, keep smiling and enjoy these crazy wonderful days
Big hugs JettsXO
I have a packet of craisins in my pantry – must make this. Hope Emerson is feeling better soon xx
Hope wee Emerson feels better soon. This recipe looks great, love anything with lots of lovely butter in it! Loving the recipe cards too. Elaina xo
Now that looks very simple and yum! Perfect for Christmas if you hid it away! Thanks Corrie for sharing your recipe.
Oh yummo Corrie, this looks absolutely delicious! Poor little Emerson, so horrible when they’re crook at such a young age, hope he’s feeling all better sooner than later xo
Mmm I tried this shortbread the other day at a Thermomix cooking class and it was really yummy. I was inspired by your posts about your Thermomix (which I’d never heard of until reading your blog) and that’s why I attended the cooking class…
Sorry to hear that Emerson was so unwell. That must have been really scary for you all. Hope he recovers fully very quickly. xo
Now this looks absolutely delicious! Thanks for making a recipe card for us “non Thermo owners!” One day Corrie, one day, I’ll be able to print off your recipe cards FOR the Thermomix. Until then, I’ll be hauling out my food processor!!
Poor Emerson, hope he is feeling better soon! I can’t wait to try this recipe, Steve loves pistachios and I love cranberries – sounds like a perfect combo
That is a long few days having that happen after the markets
Hope he is on the mend. THe shortbread looks delish – goin to give it a whirl in my TM !
Corrie, these look really good. In the non thermomix recipe is the 100gm flour supposed to be 100gm rice flour, looking through the recipe I see you have rice flour.
What a gorgous plate! I’m sure the biscuits are delicious but I’m loving the plate more
I SO want to make this! I have everything apart from Craisins….. Can I use glace cherries?
go for it but I’d personally rinse and pat them dry first and cut into quarters too! let me know how you go!
I need to make these for preschool so what can I use instead of the pistachio?
Hope Emerson feels better
Thanks for sharing this lovely shortbread recipe.
Thank you for sharing your christmas recipes, this looks absolutely delicious!
Do you think you’ll make a gluten free version this year? I wonder if almond meal or coconut flour could replace the wheat flour, or even just increasing the rice flour. Please let us know if you do