DAY OUT: BOTANIC GARDENS

到植物园转一圈  蓝天白云艳阳天
还有鸭子! 

 "Four ducks in a pond A grass bank beyond A blue sky of spring White clouds on the wing" - William Allingham

SPEEDING DOWN

It’s hard to believe an entire year has come and gone. The older I get, the faster the they go. 2015 was hectic and eventful but with the recent installation of a new domestic helper, today I’m finally able to slow down and savour a quiet afternoon. 

A trusted recipe from my repertoire - rich buttery shortbread cookies with tangy cranberries and a kiss of orange. Happy New Year! May you always find the time for slow living.

Cranberry Shortbread Cookies

Makes 40

250 grams all-purpose flour 

40 grams rice flour 

1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt

225 grams good quality unsalted butter, room temperature 

60 grams icing sugar 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

2 tablespoons diced candied orange peel 

100 grams coarsely chopped dried cranberries 

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, rice flour and salt. 

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter until smooth (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat until smooth and creamy (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract and zest. Gently stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated. Fold in the dried cranberries and candied orange peel, making sure they are evenly distributed throughout the dough. 

Form the dough into a log, about 5-cm in diameter.  Wrap with plastic and refrigerate overnight. 

To bake the cookies, preheat your oven at 180 degrees C. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap the dough log and, using a very sharp knife, cut the chilled dough into slices no thicker than ½ cm. Place the slices on prepared baking sheets, spacing them well apart. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are lightly brown. 

Leave the cookies in the baking sheets for about 2 minutes to firm up a bit, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

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