Surrey Downs Magazine

Strawberry crown shortbreads

By Sue Noble and Sara Gyngell at the Surrey Hills Cookery School

(makes about 6, depending on the size you pipe the biscuits)

These delicious melt in the mouth strawberry crown shortbreads are so easy to make but look very impressive

FOR THE BISCUITS

225g softened margarine (you can use butter but take care as it will make the biscuits very short and crumbly and therefore harder to handle)
55g icing sugar
175g plain flour
55g cornflour
A few drops of vanilla extract

FILLING

100g good quality white chocolate (melted)
200g cream cheese
50mls double cream
Strawberries and blueberries to decorate

Pre heat the oven 180c/gas mark 4

• Cream the margarine and icing sugar together with a wooden spoon.
• Add the flour, cornflour and vanilla extract and beat well together, until soft and well mixed.
• Place the biscuit mixture into a piping bag with a large star-piping nozzle. On a lined baking tray pipe a round biscuit about 6cms in diameter (you can do them smaller if you want more bite sized biscuits).
• Bake for about 15/20 minutes until pale golden, but do keep a close eye on them as they can over brown very quickly.
• Cool the biscuits on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile mix the cool melted white chocolate, cream cheese and double cream together in a small bowl.
• Cut the strawberries into thin slices lengthways.
• Once the biscuits are cold – place a biscuit upside down on a plate, blob some of the white chocolate filling on top of the biscuit, arrange the strawberry slices around the outside and fill the middle with a few blueberries. Place another biscuit, right side up on the top and press down gently, dust with icing sugar.
• Repeat until you have used all the biscuits, place all the finished crowns on a serving  plate, serve and ENJOY!