It's so hard to convey just how good these shortbread cookies are. You have to try them! And they’re super easy to make and use only a few simple ingredients.
The shortbread has a buttery crunchy yet soft and almost chewy-like texture to it, along with pops of delicious caramelised white chocolate chunks - which alone is worth making these for. Then add the fennel sugar sprinkled over the top with a little flakey sea salt and these go to another level.
For this recipe, I teamed up with the guys from Westgold. I’ve been using their products in my cooking and baking over the last few months and have been loving their high-quality butter. It has a rich and creamy flavour and is made with milk from grass-fed cows, farmed on the West Coast of New Zealand’s, South Island. Highly recommended.
If you’re not wanting to bake the cookie dough straight away you can store it rolled in cling wrap for a few days in the fridge. When you’re ready to bake simply allow the dough to rest on the bench for roughly 30 minutes before slicing and baking.
Enjoy the recipe, and as always, please let me know if you make it @gatherandfeast and feel free to ask any questions.
Ingredients
Egg-free, VEG 
30 minutes + 1-2 hours resting time 
14-16 - 225g salted butter
- 1/2 cup raw castor sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups plain/all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup white rice flour
- 150g white chocolate
- 1 1/2 tablespoon whole fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon raw sugar
Method
- Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.
- Fold in the flour, rice flour, salt, and the white chocolate chunks.
- Roll the dough into a thick log, cover it with cling wrap, then seal it tightly.
- Pop the dough into the fridge for 1-2 hours and until the dough is firm.
- While the dough is resting let's make the fennel sugar.
- In a mortar and pestle add the fennel seeds and sugar and grind until the seeds have been crushed and the sugar turns a greeny colour. Set aside. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, simply roughly chop the fennel seeds with a knife and then mix with the sugar in a small bowl.
- Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F (fan forced).
- Once the dough has rested, slice it roughly into 2cm slices.
- Arrange the slices onto two paper-lined baking trays.
- Sprinkle them with the fennel sugar and some sea salt flakes.
- Bake at 180°C/350°F for 12 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes.
- Now transfer the shortbread to a wire baking rack to cool for a further 30-60 minutes before eating.
- Store in an airtight container in the pantry.
