Don’t keep pepper only for savoury cooking – its fragrant heat is lovely in these wedges of shortbread. I have used grains of paradise too, which have a similar flavour profile with added gingery-citrusy notes, akin to cardamom or coriander seed. These West African seeds, named with a stroke of medieval marketing genius, used to be widely popular but fell out of favour in Renaissance Europe when the price of black pepper fell, allowing it to become the spice of every table. They can now be hard to find, so by all means double the black pepper quantity in their stead.
Salt and Pepper Shortbread
- 50g (1 3/4 oz) caster sugar, plus more for sprinkling
- 100g (3oz) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
- 150g (1 cup) plain flour
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Muziris Black Pepper, coarsely ground - Add To Cart
- 1/2 teaspoon grains of paradise, ground (or more black pepper)
- Sea salt flakes, for sprinkling (optional)
- Cream the sugar and butter until well combined but
not airy. Add the flour, salt and spices, mixing just
until it starts to clump together. - Grease a 20cm (8 inch) cake tin, then press in the
dough using the back of a spoon. Prick the top
prettily and score with spokes like a bicycle wheel.
Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. - Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan (350°F)
- Bake the shortbread for 20–25 minutes until pale golden, firm and a little sandy to the touch. Re-score whilst warm then cool in the tin. If you like, sprinkle the top with a little sugar and some flaky salt.
