Recipe of the Week - Springtime Shortbread

With Spring finally setting in here in London town we here at Devnaa are excitedly preparing for the return of fresh, light flavours and yummy fruits to wake our palettes up from the heavy but comforting, winter warming flavours of the last few months!

One of my favourite spring time recipes is for Strawberry & Mascarpone Shortbread Slice. Crumbly biscuit with a cool, creamy topping fortified with strawberries and a hint of spice. The great thing is that you can mix pretty much any flavour you like into the topping - in the Summer try folding in some lemon curd and sprinkling with a touch of finely chopped mint.

Strawberry & Mascarpone Shortbread Slice:

Ingredients:
175g Unsalted Butter
70g Caster Sugar
1 Egg Yolk
250g Plain Flour
300g Mascarpone
60g Icing Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/4tsp Cardamom
300g Chopped Strawberries

• Pre heat the oven to gas mark 4 and line a 20 x 30 cm baking dish with grease proof paper (leaving it long enough to hang over the sides)
• Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy
• Add the egg yolk and beat well
• Gently fold in the flour until you are left with a well combined dough
• Press the biscuit dough firmly into the baking dish and prick all over with a fork
• Bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown
• Remove from oven, place tin on a wire rack and allow the biscuit to cool completely
• Beat the mascarpone, sifted icing sugar and vanilla extract together until smooth
• Fold in the strawberries and cardamom
• Spread this mixture over the biscuit base and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (until firm)
• Use the long sides of the grease proof paper to lift the shortbread out of the baking dish and place onto a chopping block to allow ease of cutting
• Cut into pieces and enjoy! :)