Cold Desserts Recipes - Apple And Hazelnut Shortcake

Ingredients

• 150g/generous 1 cup plain whole meal  flour

• 50g/1/2 cup ground hazelnuts

• 50g/6 tbsp icing sugar, sifted

• 150g/generous 1 cup unsalted butter

• 3 sharp eating apples

• 5ml/1 tsp lemon juice

• 15-25g/1-2 tbsp caster sugar

• 15ml/1 tbsp chopped fresh mint, or 5ml/1 tsp dried mint

• 250ml/1 cup whipping cream

• a few drops of vanilla essence

• a few fresh mint leaves and whole hazelnuts, to decorate

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Method:

1. Process the flour, ground hazelnuts and icing sugar with the butter n a food processor in short bursts, until they come together. Bring the dough together, adding a very little iced water if needed. Knead briefly, wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 160C/325F. cut the dough in half and roll out each half to an 18cm/7in round. Place on greaseproof paper on baking sheets. Bake for 40 minutes, or until crisp. Allow to cool.

3. Peel, core and chop the apples into a saucepan with the lemon juice. Add sugar to taste; cook for 2-3 minutes, until just soft. Mash the apple gently with the mint; leave to cool.

4. Whip the cream with the vanilla essence. Place one shortbread base on a serving plate. Spread half the apple and half the cram on top.

5. Place the second shortcake on top, then spread over the remaining apple and cream, swirling the top layer of cream gently. Decorate the tip with mint leaves and a few whole hazelnuts, then serve at once.