Homemade Gift Idea | Valencia Shortbread Recipe

The season for Spanish Persimon is underway, and you may have seen a few of the recipes I’ve posted that are celebrating the seasonal Spanish fruit. The season last until the end of January 2018, so there is plenty of time to get creative and eat plenty of them. It is rumoured that Brits now eat more than 24 million of these sweet and delicious exotic fruits every year. Have you ever tried it?

These easy-to-make shortbread biscuits taste extra special with finely chopped Spanish Persimon, pistachios and lime zest. Perfect for a homemade Christmas gift (as well as for a festive buffet table).

Makes approximately 25

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 12-15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 Spanish Persimon
• 225g butter, at room temperature
• 110g caster sugar
• 325g plain flour
• 25g cornflour
• Pinch salt
• 50g shelled pistachio nuts, finely chopped
• Finely grated zest of 1 lime
• 100g icing sugar
• Tiny gold or silver edible stars, for decoration

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/Gas Mark 4. Line 2 or 3 baking trays with baking paper (if you only have 1 baking tray, cook in batches).
2. Remove and discard the leafy top from the Spanish Persimon, then chop the fruit very finely.
3. Beat together the butter and caster sugar until combined, using a wooden spoon. (The mixture doesn’t need to be light). Add the flour, cornflour and salt and work them in with the wooden spoon. Add the Persimon, pistachio nuts and lime zest, then use your hand to bring the mixture together.
4. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead for a few moments until smooth – but avoid over-handling. Roll out on a lightly floured surface and stamp out biscuits with a star-shaped cutter (or just use around one). Re-roll the trimmings to make about 25 biscuits in total, placing them on the baking sheets.
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes until pale golden brown. Cool on the trays for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
6. Mix the icing sugar with a little water to make a thin icing. Drizzle over the biscuits and sprinkle them with the edible stars.

Cook’s tip: If you have a nut allergy, simply omit the pistachios.

Delicious! What do you think? Would love to hear if you give them a try!