Ghorayeba (Middle Eastern shortbread)

Ingredients

• 300 g ghee, plus 1 tbsp
• 500 g plain flour
• 175 g icing sugar, sifted
• Pistachios, to decorate

The exact number of biscuits will depend on how large you make each scoop of dough.

Chilling time: 10 minutes 

Instructions

1. Place the oven rack in the centre of your oven and preheat to 120°C fan-forced (140°C for a non-fan-forced oven). Line two baking trays with baking paper.
2. Place the ghee, flour and icing sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment fitted. Whisk on low speed, until a crumbly dough forms, then increase the speed to medium-high. Mix for 15 minutes, or until the mixture forms a smooth dough.
3. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop 3-4 cm rounds of the dough onto the prepared baking trays spaced 2 cm apart, then refrigerate for 5-10 minutes, until the biscuits are no longer sticky to the touch. (You may need to cook the biscuits in batches, depending on the size of your baking trays).
4. Flatten the tops lightly with a floured finger, then press a pistachio into the centre of each biscuit.
5. Bake for 15 minutes, or until just set. They should remain pale in colour and may leave a little powdery residue on your finger when lightly pressed, but the biscuits will continue to cook on the trays when removed from the oven. Remove the trays from the oven and cool before serving.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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