{Coffee & Toffee Shortbreads}

These little sweeties are this years christmas biscuit, the second runner up in the christmas biscuit competition in my head being a cranberry orange shortbread, which is a bit more christmassy I know but they got pipped at the post by the idea of a melted toffee and coffee combo, the last few years I've made big batches of shortbreads to give away, its a bit of a tradition now and a good gift I reckon, hopefully appreciated more than the mass produced stuff that comes in a box with a snowman (appropriate, not) or a jolly santa on it. These come from my little kitchen and are made with love.

...the shortbreads

250g unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup icing sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup toffee bits

(I used 2 packets of werthers originals, smashed with a rolling pin)

1 tablespoon granulated coffee powder

2 cups plain flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Beat the butter with a mixer on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about two minutes. Gradually add the icing sugar, beating again until smooth. Add the vanilla extract, toffee bits, coffee powder and mix until combined. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt and gradually add to the butter beating at a low speed until blended.

Form the dough into 2 logs, each about 4cm in diameter; roll & wrap in clingfilm, I made mine a bit square for something different, refrigerate for 1 hour (or up to 3 days). Preheat oven to 175. If frozen, let the logs stand at room temp for 10 minutes before removing clingwrap and slicing logs into 1cm thick rounds, space them a couple of cm's apart on baking tray lined with baking paper. 


Bake until pale golden, about 12 minutes. Remove the tray from oven and let the bickies sit on it for another couple of minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.