Orange & Pistachio Shortbread

Ingredients

• 150g unsalted butter, softened, plus a little for the tin
• 75g organic cane sugar, plus 1 tsp to finish
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange, washed
• 200g Doves Farm plain white flour
• ⅛ tsp pink Himalayan salt, finely ground
• 60g unsalted pistachio kernels, finely chopped

Method

1. Prepare the tin and butter mixtureLightly butter a 20cm square tin and line with baking parchment, leaving an overhang on two sides. Beat the softened butter, 75g sugar and orange zest with a wooden spoon until smooth and combined. There’s no need to make it very fluffy.
2. Bring the dough togetherAdd the flour and finely ground salt, then stir until the mixture looks crumbly. Mix in the finely chopped pistachios. Use your hands to bring it together into a soft dough, stopping as soon as it holds together. Do not add orange juice: the zest gives the flavour without making the dough wet.
3. Press and chillPress evenly into the lined tin, right into the corners. Smooth with the back of a spoon. Lightly score into 16 fingers: divide the square in half, then mark eight strips across the other direction. Prick each finger a few times with a fork. Chill for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 170°C / 150°C fan / gas 3.
4. Bake gentlyBake on the middle shelf for 30–35 minutes, until the surface looks dry and the edges are pale golden. The centre will still feel a little soft; it firms as it cools. Avoid baking to a deep brown.
5. Cut while warm, cool in the tinSprinkle with the remaining teaspoon of sugar. Leave for 5 minutes, then carefully cut through along the scored lines without lifting the fingers out. Leave in the tin for at least another 25 minutes, until completely cool and firm. Lift out using the parchment and gently separate the fingers.

Two small changes

For bite-sized biscuits, score the dough into 25 squares instead of fingers. For a less sweet finish, leave off the teaspoon of sugar after baking; keep the sugar in the dough the same.

For the weekend

Once completely cool, keep the shortbread in an airtight tin in a cool place for up to 5 days. If giving it as a gift, pack only when cold so trapped steam does not soften it. Keep the orange for juice or eat it alongside breakfast.