Lemon Shortbread

Ingredients

• 250g butter, softened
• ½ cup (110g) caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
• 2 ¼ cups (335g) plain flour

Icing

• 1 cup (160g) icing sugar, sifted
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon milk or water

Method

1. Preheat oven to 150°C fan forced. Line two baking trays with baking paper.
2. Assemble mixer using the scraper. Add butter, caster sugar and lemon rind in mixer bowl. Slowly turn the mixer to LIGHT MIXING setting, beat until butter, sugar and rind start to combine. Gradually increase to CREAM/BEAT setting. Beat mixture for about 5 minutes or until butter is very pale in colour.
3. Reduce speed to LIGHT MIXING setting and gradually add flour. Once all flour is added increase speed slightly to mix thoroughly for 30 seconds.
4. Lightly knead dough on a flat surface. Tip: The buttery texture of the mixture should not need a floured surface but if very sticky on your work surface then lightly flour the surface.
5. Using a lightly floured rolling pin roll the mixture out to a 1cm thickness. Using a 5cm round pastry cutter cut rounds of shortbread and place onto prepared trays. Reshape shortbread mixture to get as many rounds as possible. Refrigerate shortbread rounds for 15 minutes.
6. Bake rounds for about 25-30 minutes or until firm. Allow to cool on trays for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Once cool drizzle with icing.
7. To make icing: Combine icing sugar, lemon juice and milk or water in a small bowl. If mixture is still thick add another ¼ - ½ teaspoon milk or water. Mix well to combine.  Spoon mixture into a zip lock bag. Cut the edge of one corner of the bag, to make a small opening, gently squeeze icing and drizzle over shortbread. Set shortbread aside until icing has set.