Christmas Candy Cane Peppermint Shortbread (圣诞薄荷牛油饼干）

INTRODUCTION

My Christmas recipe this year is coming to an end. I still have a Panettone recipe yet to issue and thereafter I will do a compilation to facilitate readers to locate the recipes.

Cookies is common during Christmas for Western bloggers… In fact, cookies recipe are not popular throughout the year until the period of about 1 month from Thanksgiving Day to Christmas Day itself. There are cookies exchange programs and household prepared their homemade delicious cookies, nicely packed and presented it as gifts for relatives and guests. As an Asian blogger, I also want to join in the fun, prepare some uniquely Christmas cookies..

This is not a new recipe. It is a very simple recipe modified from one of the top posts of this blog : One, Two, Three…….Let’s Start Making Traditional Short Bread Biscuits (英式传统牛油饼干）.

However, the design is from Aunty Yochana blog’s recipe: Yochana’s Cake Delight! : Christmas Cane Cookies.. She always command my due respect as a pioneer blogger.. I like to search her blog for ideas.

If I tell you shaping this is quick and easy, I think I am telling a lie … It is rather laborious.. If you have a domestic helper at home, I am sure it could be rather fast.. If your kids are on holiday, they can also chip in to help..

Considering that readers may give up in the preparation, I have decided to change it to the common round shape cookies..That will really be easy and fast…

There are a slight Typo error in my images. It was supposed to be Candy Cane cookies and instead of joystick cookies. I was given the wrong information that this is called a Christmas joystick, ha-ha. It is rather laborious to change all the images and therefore I have decided to leave it as it is. Pardon me for that.

WHAT IS REQUIRED

Servings: Prepare about 20-30 Candy Cane Shortbread

150 grams of plain flour
100 grams of butter, at room temperature
50 grams of icing sugar
1/4 teaspoon of peppermint essence
Some permitted red food colouring
Some permitted green food colouring

STEPS OF PREPARATION

Pre-heat the oven to 160 degree Celsius.

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Sift in the flour and lightly fold until well mixed. Divide into 2 equal portions. For one portion, add some permitted red colouring and for the other portion, add the peppermint essence and some permitted green colouring.

Lightly knead until the colour is consistent. Pinch some dough of each colour and shape it into a long thin stripes. Braid the two stripes to become one . Use your hand to roll in one single direction until the design are well incorporated. Cut the stripes into about 6 cm long. Fold 2 cm of one end towards the other end resembling the letter “J”. Perform the same for all the others.

For the round cookies. Pinch some green dough and red batter (about 10 grams). Shape it round and use a fork to lightly press on the centre.

Bake in the pre-heated oven of 160 degree Celsius for about 12-15 minutes. When taken out from the oven, let it rest in the tray for about 5 minutes before transferring to a rack for cooling.

CONCLUSION

Definitely a presentable gift for those who look for gift ideas. Of course packaging is of prime importance. You will be surprised that peppermint blends extremely well with the shortbread. ..

Hope you like the post today. Cheers and have a nice day.

For more recipes, you can refer to my RECIPE INDEX (updated as at 20 November 2014) here and you can follow me at PINTEREST or visit the blog’s FACEBOOK PAGE to keep abreast of my future posts.