Almond Shortbread Hearts, A Recipe

Ingredients:

150g Plain flour
100g Unsalted butter
50 g Caster sugar
1/2 tspn Almond Essence

To decorate:
Milk Chocolate
Chopped Almonds

Set oven to  180c/ 350f/ gas mark 4

Step 1:
Sift flour and sugar into a bowl, cut the butter into small cubes and add to the dry ingredients .

Step 2:
Using fingertips rub the butter into the flour and sugar until it starts to come together as a dough.

Step 3:
Add 1/2 tspn of almond extract and bring together all the ingredients lightly, be careful not to overwork the dough.

Step 4:
Roll out on a lightly floured surface and cut out with a heart shaped cutter (or any other shaped cutter of your choosing).

Step 5:
Place on a baking sheet and bake in the over for 15 to 20 minutes or until a light golden colour. Leave to cool on a baking rack.

Step 6:
While the shortbread cools, break 100 to 200g of chocolate (depending on how thick you want your chocolate) into a bowl, place the bowl above water being heated in a pan on the hob and stir until melted. Be careful not to get water in or near the chocolate.

Step 7. Dip the cooled biscuits into the pan of melted chocolate, sprinkle with chopped almonds and drizzle extra chocolate across with a spoon. Leave to set.

Step 8.
Eat.