Jam Shortbread Snowflakes

While simple, these jam shortbread snowflakes are stunning, and come with sweet and fruity flavours of cherry, raspberry and apricot. Feel free to substitute with your favourite flavours, or use a star cookie cutter if that's more accessible for you.

Yield: Serves 15
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Difficulty Level: 2/5

Ingredients

• 250 g butter, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1¼ cup (200 g) icing sugar
• 2⅓ cup (350 g) plain flour
• ½ cup (75 g) wheaten cornflour
• 2 tbsps milk
• ½ cup (160 g) jam
• 2 tbsps icing sugar, extra

Steps

01. Beat butter, extract and sifted icing sugar in a small bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; stir in sifted flour and cornflour, and milk, in two batches. Divide dough in half, enclose in plastic. Refrigerate for 30 mins.

02. Preheat oven to 160 C (140 C fan-forced). Line oven trays with baking paper.

03. Roll one half of the dough between sheets of baking paper until 3 mm thick. Cut out snowflakes using 9.5 cm snowflake cutter, re-rolling scraps as necessary. Place shortbread about 2.5 cm apart on trays. Repeat with remaining dough. Cut out centres of half the snowflakes using 6 cm snowflake cutter. Refrigerate for 15 mins.

04. Bake shortbread for 10 mins. Stand for 10 mins; spread large shortbreads with 1 tsp jam. Top with snowflake cut-outs. Bake for a further 5 mins.

05. Dust shortbread with sifted extra icing sugar before serving.

Not suitable to freeze or microwave.Photo: bauersyndication.com.au