Lemon Basil Shortbread

So this week was my last at university before starting placement until Christmas, accordingly we went to the pub to celebrate and the planned apple creation that was supposed to happen yesterday did not. Sorry world apple day, I let you down. I was to busy drinking this marvellous mulled cider, its funny how the first of the year always tasted so good.   

So after a busy week I thought it was time for a quick post before heading back up north for the weekend. I love shortbread. Its so easy, mostly three ingredients and can be done start to finish in 20 minuets. 

I like to add different things in with mine, lemon zest is always a winner. You can add anything really, thyme, chocolate, nuts, lavender & honey or even peanut butter. 

I chose to add Lemon Basil to mine as I found some growing in a container at work today, I didn't even know it was there until a customer asked what it was and I had to pretend to be a botanical expert convincingly. 

Its a really lovely herb, its flexible, so can go into sweet or savoury dish. It tastes as you would imagine, lemony and basily. Please don't worry if you can't find Lemon Basil, I'm not sure how widely available it is. You can use lemon zest and a few sprigs of ordinary basil as a substitute. 

I have included some pictures above of some seasonal things I've found this week. Well, its a picture of some leaves and a cup of mulled cider, I'm working on a alcohol free recipe for my pregnant sister in law (why else would you have alcohol free anything??) 

My song of the week is Laura Marling- New romantic

Lemon Basil Shortbread

Ingredients

200 g Plain flour

50 g Caster sugar

125 g Slightly salted butter, plus extra for the top

1 Small bunch of lemon Basil

Pre heat the oven on a medium heat.

Put the flour and the butter into a bowl, and rub together to from a crumb like texture. Add the caster sugar and the lemon basil leaves and mix thoroughly. You should be able to squeeze the bread crumb texture together to from a ball of dough, if its too sticky add some flour or if its too dry rub in some more butter. 

transfer the breadcrumb like dough into a baking tin and press down with the back of a spoon. You should see that the mixture firms up when doing this, make sure you get close to the edges as possible and really press it down firmly. 

Score the cutting pattern and sprinkle with the rest of the caster sugar. Bake in a medium oven for 15 minutes. 

Leave to cool on a wire rack and enjoy slightly warm.