Strawberry & Elderflower Shortbreads

Serves 6 / Preparation 25 minutes plus resting time / Cooking 20 minutes

A delicious way to enjoy strawberries at their best, these make the perfect summer dessert or afternoon tea treat. Marinating the strawberries enhances their natural sweetness and creates a delicious syrup to spoon over the cream.

Ingredients

For the strawberries

  • 250g strawberries (about ¾ punnet)
  • 2 tbsp elderflower cordial or liqueur
  • 2 tbsp caster sugar and extra for dusting
  • Juice of ½ lemon

For the shortbread

  • 110g unsalted butter softened
  • 110g plain flour
  • 55g corn flour
  • 55g caster sugar
  • Pinch of salt

For the cream

  • 150ml double cream
  • 3tbsp Greek or natural yogurt
  • 2 tbsp icing sugar and extra for dusting

Method

  1. To make the shortbread, beat the butter and caster sugar together using an electric whisk or wooden spoon until pale and fluffy. Sift in the plain and corn flours, add the salt and mix until smooth and the dough comes together. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead together to form a ball. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 170°C fan, gas mark 5 and line two baking trays with grease proof paper. Wash and halve the strawberries, quarter if large, and mix with the elderflower cordial, caster sugar and lemon juice and set to one side to marinate. Roll the dough between two pieces of greaseproof paper to a 5mm thickness and cut 12 circles using a 7cm cutter, re-rolling the dough as needed. Transfer the biscuits to the baking trays using a pallet knife and bake for 15-20 minutes until just turning golden around the edges. Leave on the baking trays for a few minutes to firm up and then lightly dust with caster sugar and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
  3. Combine the cream, yoghurt and icing sugar in a bowl and whisk to form soft peaks. Spoon the cream on six of the biscuits and top with the strawberries. Finish with a second biscuit on top and dust with icing sugar to serve.

Any left over strawberries make a delicious toping for porridge or yogurt. Finish with toasted almonds or granola for some crunch.

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