Fennel Seed Custard Shortbread

‘A recipe has no soul, you as the cook have to bring soul to the recipe’ - Thomas Keller

Shortbread, the buttery, melt in your moth comfort of eons gone by. But I am all too saddened by the overwhelming array of pre-packaged substitutes that line our shelves. Crumbly, sugar laden pucks that are devoid of any caress by human touch. To cook is to inject with love, to create is to put a piece of your soul into your creation.

So, this recipe, although simple in the sum of its parts, is so utterly comforting and unctuous that I challenge you to stop after one bite. Fennel Seed as a welcome aniseed note to offset the buttery sweetness. This is as short as they come so prepare to nonchalantly wipe those crumbs from in between your sweater knit……

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shortbread, custard shortbread, cookies, biscuits, spiced biscuits

Yield: 8-10

Author: Suze Morrison

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Fennel Seed Custard Shortbread

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 31 MinTotal time: 51 Min

This recipe, although simple in the sum of its parts, is so utterly comforting and unctuous that I challenge you to stop after one bite. Fennel Seed as a welcome aniseed note to offset the buttery sweetness. This is as short as they come so prepare to nonchalantly wipe those crumbs from in between your sweater knit……

Ingredients

• 130g Unsalted Butter, room temperature
• 1tsp Toasted Fennel Seeds, very lightly crushed.
• 65g Icing Sugar
• 160g Plain Flour
• 30g Custard Powder
• ½ tsp Sea Salt Flakes

Instructions

1. In a bowl, whisk together the plain flour, custard powder, toasted fennel seeds and salt until homogenous. Set aside.
2. Add the butter and the icing sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer and cream using the paddle for 2 minutes on medium speed. You are not looking to aerate this mixture so stop as soon as it is smooth.
3. Add the flour/ fennel seed mixture and paddle once again until just combined. This is very short so be patient, it will come together.
4. Form into a round using your hands on a baking sheet lined with non-stick paper. Crimp the edges suing your fingers, score into 8 pieces and perforate with the tines of a fork.
5. Chill for 4 hours to allow the flour to hydrate and the butter to firm.
6. 30 minutes before it is ready, preheat oven 175C. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until the edges begin to turn golden. Allow to cool on the tray before serving with mugs of builder’s tea for dunking.

https://gourmetglow.co.uk/recipes/fennel-seed-custard-shortbread