Spiced shortbread treats with a boozey buttercream topping
Yield
Prep Time
mins
Cook Time
mins
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Two Christmas dessert staples join forces for a combination that will knock your socks off. Pair the light and buttery crumble of shortbread cookies with the sweet and custard-like nature of eggnog, and you’ll have these melt-in-your-mouth eggnog shortbreads that are so indulgent, they’re adult-only.

Ingredients

  • 125 g unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ⅔ cup (110 g) icing sugar
  • 2 tsps dark underproof rum
  • 2 tsps brandy
  • 1¼ cups (185 g) plain flour
  • ¼ cup (35 g) wheaten cornflour
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp icing sugar, extra
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg, extra

BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

  • 125 g unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups (240 g) icing sugar
  • 1 tbsp brandy
  • 1 tbsp dark underproof rum
01.

Halve butter for shortbread and butter cream frosting at room temperature.

02.

Beat butter, extract and sifted icing sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy; beat in rum and brandy. Add sifted flour, cornflour and nutmeg; beat on low speed until just combined. Enclose dough in plastic wrap; refrigerate 10 mins.

03.

Shape dough into two 30 cm logs, roll logs on baking paper until smooth; refrigerate 1 hr.

04.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 160 C. Line oven trays with baking paper.

05.

Cut each log into 50 slices. Place slices, about 2.5 cm apart, on trays. Bake shortbreads about 12 mins. Stand on trays 3 mins before transferring to wire racks to cool.

06.

Make butter cream frosting. Beat butter in small bowl with electric mixer until as white as possible. Gradually beat in extract and half the sifted icing sugar. Beat in brandy and rum, then remaining icing sugar.

07.

Spoon frosting into piping bag fitted with small fluted tube; pipe frosting onto shortbread. Dust with combined sifted extra icing sugar and extra nutmeg.

TIP This recipe makes a lot of little one-bite shortbreads. If you like, make 50 shortbreads and freeze the remaining log, wrapped in baking paper then plastic wrap, for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before slicing and baking.

TIP You will need to halve the butter cream frosting if only baking 50 shortbreads. Biscuits, without the frosting, will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

Photo: bauersyndication.com.au

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