Cranberry Shortbread

Cranberry Shortbread


I am so excited about using up stuff from my pantry as it seems to give me a sense of accomplishment to see a packet going empty. I must admit that sometimes I would buy some ingredients thinking I will find some use for it later. And that later would not easily come because I may have been wary of trying something new and keep pushing its use until the use by or best before date. When it comes to best before date, I usually use my sense organs - sniff, taste and decide. This recipe was whipped up so I could be done with the pack of dried cranberry that would have gone past its best before date this month end. I quite like shortbreads because they do not need any raising agents, there is pretty much nothing to stop nutrition absorption (not that the traditional shortbread recipe of flour+butter+sugar offered much nutrition to absorb). What I mean is it was a good inspiration for me to use some nice ingredients in this as I know if it comes out well, it will go down with everyone very easy. I decided to make it fibre rich by adding some bran; nutrient rich and lesser in processed ingredients by adding more whole wheat flour than all purpose flour; added brown sugar instead of refined sugar; vitamin rich and good fat rich by adding ground almond. The butter was ofcourse to bind them together and form the shortbread biscuits. You could replace it with margarine if that is your preference. They came out so good that I could not keep away from them and even spoilt my appetite for dinner.

¾ cup whole wheat flour
¾ cup dried cranberry
½ cup all purpose flour
¼ cup bran
½ cup brown sugar
100gm butter, softened
½ cup ground almond
1-2 tablespoon milk

Mix all ingredients together (first the dry ingredients followed by butter then gauge how much milk is needed) to make dough that can be held together in your fist but will disintegrate if pressed by thumb

Take a portion of the mixture, roll into 5-8mm or so thick disc and cut into required shapes and place on baking paper lined tray

Bake at 180degC for 8-10 minutes, until edges browned

Transfer to cooling rack and serve