Autumnal Treats - Shortbread Biscuits

Autumn is my favorite month; the smells, the light, the colours, and conkers. This traditional English children's game uses the large & heavy seed of horse-chestnut trees as the "conker". The conker is made by threading string through a hole drilled in the chestnut. Each player takes turns at whacking their opponent’s conker with their own, until it breaks (this game is now banned from most schools due to risk of injury).
I also quite like the temperature of the Autumn days, fresh and cold, but not too cold, just enough to enhance the comfort of a warm home and a strong brew. Then, the only thing missing is a crumbly biscuit to dunk.
I love baking, but strangely enough am not much of a sweet tooth; but give me a butter biscuit any day. I can’t say no to anything when the main ingredient is BUTTER! So keeping in theme on this windy Sunday afternoon, I decided to make vanilla shortbread biscuits dipped in chocolate.

Ingredients:

• 1 vanilla pod, halved lengthways
• 100g caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
• 200g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• 300g plain flour, sifted, plus extra for dusting

1. Using a knife, scrape along the cut side of the vanilla pod to remove the seeds. Place the seeds in a large bowl with the sugar and mix well. Add the butter and mix with a wooden spoon until lightly creamed (this is a definite work-out for the arms, you could use an electric whisk if you’d prefer.) Add the flour and a pinch of salt, then mix to a soft dough (I used my hands much easier than trying to get it altogether with a spoon.) Wrap the dough in cling film and chill for 1 hour.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out until about 5mm thick. Use a round cutter to cut out the biscuits, re-rolling the trimmings to make 24. I used two different sized cutters to create biscuits for the people who think they are being good by just eating small ones. Transfer to 2 large, greased baking trays. Sprinkle with sugar.
3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 160°C/fan140°C/gas 3. Bake the biscuits for about 15 minutes, swapping the trays around halfway, until pale golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool and crisp up.
4. When biscuits have cooled, cut up chocolate and put into a bowl over a pan of simmering water until melted. Dip biscuits into chocolate, as much as you like. I have only covered half so I can taste both the plain and chocolatey shortbread biscuits. Place the them in a large storage jar ready to take out when ever you’re having your next brew.

4. When biscuits have cooled, cut up chocolate and put into a bowl over a pan of simmering water until melted. Dip biscuits into chocolate, as much as you like. I have only covered half so I can taste both the plain and chocolatey shortbread biscuits. Place the them in a large storage jar ready to take out when ever you’re having your next brew. Note: These are evil little devils, once you’ve had one you want more. So beware!
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