Notes from the Kitchen

Claire Nicholls' seasonal notes from the Herefordshire Kitchen!

This recipe is for when the weather is cold and miserable, and you need a bit of cheering up. Children will love it, so you might need to hide it or it will disappear and there will be none left to have with your afternoon tea. 

Caramel & Walnut Shortbread

Delicious with a cup of tea on a cold day.

For the Shortbread

100g soft flour
55g unsalted butter
50g icing sugar
1 egg yolk
10g egg white
pinch of salt

For the Caramel

100ml double cream
60g sugar
40g unsalted butter
40g honey
150g walnuts (chopped)

Place the flour, butter, icing sugar and salt into a food processor until it resembles breadcrumbs. Transfer the crumb mixture into into a bowl and add the egg yolk and white. Mix gently until it forms a dough. Leave to rest for 5 minutes.

Grease and line an 20cm square cake tin. Roll out the shortbread to a thickness of 20mm, place into the tin and spike with a fork. Put it into the fridge to rest for 15 minutes. Pre-heat the oven to 180˚C.

Put the shortbread in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, leave to cool. In a saucepan place the cream, sugar, butter and honey and bring to the boil and cook for 4 minutes.

Place the chopped walnuts on top of the shortbread and cover with the caramel mixture. Turn up the oven to 200˚C and cook the shortbread for a further 10-15 minutes. Leave to cool for 20 minutes, then slice into fingers.