Spelt Chocolate Shortbread

Spelt flour takes this shortbread to new levels with more flavour and sophistication.  It’s also all about the quality of the butter and chocolate that you use.  There are few ingredients and this is a treat so fork out for a good beurre.

Makes 12 slices

Ingredients:

180g unsalted butter, at room temperature

200g spelt flour

60g ground almonds

80g unrefined caster sugar

pinch of sea salt

150g dark chocolate (70% coco), broken into pieces

1 tsp vanilla extract

large handful walnuts

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees and grease and line a baking tray or 12 inch cake tin with baking parchment.  

Add all of the ingredients into a bowl except the walnuts and chocolate and use hands to mix together into a dough.  This shouldn’t take long, and then prod the pastry into the baking tray to form a 1.5cm layer.  Place into the middle of the hot oven for about 25 minutes or until the top is lightly golden.  Leave to cool. 

When the shortbread has hardened up, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water.  Then pour the chocolate over the shortbread and top with crumbled walnuts.  Leave to set and you’re off!  It can be stored in a tupperware for a few days.