CHEF'S TIP
To achieve the right texture, it’s important to use white sugar, not caster sugar, for the shortbread and demerara sugar for the topping.
How to make walnut shortbread
Ingredients
200g walnuts
200g plain flour
½ tsp ground cloves
150g white sugar
200g unsalted butter, melted, cooled
1 Tbsp milk
¼ cup demerara sugar
Method
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Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 2 oven trays with baking paper. Put nuts on one of the prepared trays and bake for 5 minutes or until crisp. Set aside to cool, then put in a food processor and pulse until a fine crumb forms.
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Put ground nuts, flour, cloves and white sugar in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add butter. Mix gently until a smooth dough forms.
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Put dough on the other prepared tray and press into a 24cm-wide, 5mm-thick disc. Brush with milk, then sprinkle with demerara sugar. Cut into 8 wedges, then bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Cool completely on a wire rack. Serve.