Delicious, shortbread cookies with a double dose of walnuts. These treats combine a delicate buttery shortbread cookies, a cloud-like walnut meringue and a crunchy walnut half on top. They’re so charming they disappear in no time ;). Beautiful and impressive, they’re perfect for festive gifts, but just as lovely alongside an afternoon coffee. Highly recommended!
Makes 40–45 cookies.
Ingredients for the shortbread:
- 300 g plain flour
- 160 g butter, cold and diced
- 90 g icing sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- a pinch of salt
Sift the flour, add the butter and quickly chop together with a knife until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the remaining ingredients and quickly knead into a dough (you can also use a food processor). Shape into a ball, flatten slightly, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 60 minutes.
Ingredients for the walnut meringue:
- 2 egg whites
- 150 g caster sugar
- a pinch of salt
- 120 g ground walnuts
Additionally:
- 40–45 walnut halves
Remove the chilled dough from the fridge and roll out to about 3 mm thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut out round shapes using a 6 cm cutter. Gather scraps, re-roll and cut out the remaining cookies. Place the trays with the cut out cookies in the fridge while preparing the meringue.
In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff. Gradually add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating continuously until thick and glossy. Fold in the ground walnuts (the meringue will deflate slightly – this is normal).
Transfer the meringue to a piping bag with the tip cut off and pipe about 2 teaspoons onto the centre of each cookie, keeping in mind that the meringue will spread and rise during baking. Place a walnut half in the centre of each. Tip: It’s best to bake a few test cookies first to see how much the meringue spreads.
Bake at 160°C for about 25 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove and cool on a wire rack.
Store the shortbread cookies with meringue and walnuts in a tin or airtight container for up to 7 days.
Enjoy!
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