Christmas shortbread biscuits

• plain flour↗275g g
• granulated sugar↗100g g
• ground spice mix1 tsp tsp

  ground cinnamon or ground cardamom (optional)

• salted butter↗150g g

  cut into cubes

• egg yolks↗2

  beaten (extra whites frozen for another recipe)

• white chocolate↗100g g

  coarsely chopped

• crystallized ginger15g g

  sliced, or dried cranberries, sliced

• dark chocolate↗100g g

  coarsely chopped

• almond pieces↗15g g

  or peeled pistachios, thinly sliced

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Combine flour, sugar and spices (if using) together. Either rub the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers, or pulse the ingredients in a food processor until the mixture begins to form a dough. Add the egg yolks, mixing or pulsing. If the mixture is dry, add 1 tsp cold water and mix again until it comes together. Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Preheat the oven to 200 °C/180 °C with convection/gas 6 and line two large baking trays with parchment paper. Roll the dough between two large sheets of parchment to a thickness of ½ cm. Cut out cookies using a round or shaped cutter about 6½ cm in diameter, re‑rolling the scraps as needed until all dough is used (you’ll get about 20 pieces). Bake for 8‑10 minutes until the edges begin to turn golden. Let cool on the tray for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

3. 3

   Melt the white chocolate in a heat‑proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (ensure the bowl does not touch the water), or in the microwave in 30‑second bursts. Repeat the process with the dark chocolate. Dip half of the 10 cookies into the white chocolate, place them on a parchment‑lined tray and sprinkle with ginger or cranberries. Repeat with the remaining cookies and dark chocolate, sprinkling with almond or pistachios. Allow to set at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.