Pink Peppercorn Shortbread Hearts
Spiced Pink Peppercorn Shortbread Hearts are a rich crumbly buttery shortbread delicately flavoured with the spicy floral notes of pink peppercorn and so easy to make!
Shortbread is one of my favourite biscuits to bake, especially when I make them every Christmas as gifts. Although I love the buttery taste of shortbread, I do like to add a flavour every now and again.
This year I had some pink peppercorns leftover from a sauce I made where the I felt the more delicate flavour of the ‘pink pepper’ was preferable to the more usual black pepper.
Bearing in mind the flavour of the pink peppercorns, I thought they would bring a subtle spicy twist to a shortbread – mild but still delivering a gentle peppery kick. Despite appearing very much like peppercorns, these little pink beauties aren’t actually a pepper at all but are the dried berries of the Brazillian Pepper Tree. Don’t they look so pretty ?
These Pink Peppercorn Shortbread Hearts are delicious on their own but I’m going to serve them with a creamy lemon posset for a Valentine’s Day dessert, I reckon OH will love it. I’ll report back and let you know how it goes. Have you got any culinary plans for Valentine’s Day this year ?
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Pink Peppercorn Shortbread Hearts
Equipment
- Stand Mixer fitted with paddle attachment – I used my KitchenAid
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie cutter
- Baking tray lined or greased
Ingredients
- 225 g softened butter
- 110 g caster sugar plus extra for sprinkling
- 225 g plain flour
- 110 g cornflour
- A pinch of sea salt
- ¾ teaspoon lightly crushed pink peppercorns plus extra for garnish
Instructions
Stand Mixer:
- Add butter and sugar to the bowl and beat until creamed, which should take between one and two minutes depending on how soft your butter is and your mixer speed; number 4 to number 6 speed.
- Sift flour and cornflour into a separate bowl and then add half to your creamed butter and sugar. Start your mixer on slow (number 2 speed) to prevent the flour flying out of the bowl – mix for a few seconds. Add the remainder of the flour mix and crushed pink peppercorns, combine until it all comes together around the beater – about 1 minute.
By hand:
- Cream the butter and sugar.
- Add the flour and cornflour in 3 or 4 batches adding the crushed pink peppercorns with the last batch, mix until the dough comes together. Don’t overwork it.
Shape & bake your shortbread:
- Line a large baking tray with baking parchment and preheat your oven to 170℃/150°C fan/ 300°F/Gas Mark 3.
- Place your dough onto a floured work surface. Roll out the dough to just less than 6 mm (¼ inch) thick. Cut the dough using a shaped cutter and then place your shortbread hearts on a baking tray.
- Bake in the oven until pale golden in colour. Depending on the size of your cutter, your Pink Peppercorn Shortbread Hearts will probably take about 15 to 20 minutes to bake.
- If the shortbread begins to turn brown before it is cooked, turn your temperature down by 10 ℃
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack before sprinkling with caster sugar and crushed pink peppercorns.
Notes
- For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
- Stored in an airtight container Pink Peppercorn shortbread will keep for up to two weeks.
- Shortbread Hearts can be stored frozen for up to three months. Open freeze shortbread on a flat surface for two hours before transferring to a freezer bag or container. Defrost thoroughly at room temperature.
- Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
These shortbreads look totally divine and perfect for Valentines Day. I don’t think I’ve ever had a pink peppercorn so am intrigued! Thanks for entering #CreditCrunchMunch;-)
Thanks Camilla, so pleased you like the shortbread. I had pink peppercorns in a sauce with steak when we eating out and had to try some at home, they are delicious. A pleasure to link up with #CreditCrunchMunch 🙂
These look delicious and so, so pretty. I didn’t even know pink peppercorns were a thing! #BloggerClubUk
Thanks for stopping by, I didn’t know about pink peppercorns until I had some at a restaurant, they’re really worth trying.
These look so delicious! I don’t make shortbread very often but these are definitely making me want too! #BloggerClubUK
Thanks Charlotte, I’m glad you like them and I do hope you get to make some. Thanks for popping by 🙂
Awww these look so pretty and would make such a cute gift. Might have to make these for the grandparents 🙂 #bloggersclubuk
Thanks Emma, they would make a great gift, I’m going to make some for my Mum and Dad this weekend.
these look amazing and I am definitely going to make a batch for valentines day – so so cute! Thank you for the inspiration #BloggerClubUK
Thank you and you’re most welcome. I’d love to know how you get on 🙂
I think these are absolutely gorgeous and what a perfect Valentines treat. Love the way the pink peppercorns look. Thanks for linking up with #CookBlogShare this week.
Thanks Mandy, always a pleasure to link up with #cookblogshare x
These are so pretty! And what an unusual flavour – I bet they taste fab! Love the idea of serving them with lemon posset. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks Eb, they are delicious. I’ll report back on the lemon posset x
These look so beautiful Sarah. I must admit I’ve never used pink peppercorns before, and had no idea they weren’t a pepper anyway…..thank you for enlightening me. I love the images you’ve taken too – especially the one with the shortbread laidout & dusted with one missing. #cookblogshare
Angela x
Thanks for your lovely comment Angela, so pleased you like the photos. I couldn’t resist taking a shot of the missing shortbread x
oooh i love shortbread, would never have thought of using pink peppercorns though
Thanks Alison, always looking to experiment with flavours, I’m glad I had some pink peppercorns that needed using up.
Those are so pretty! Perfect for Valentine’s Day.
Thanks Helen, so pleased you like them.