Amanda Laird: Cardamom, cashew and white pepper shortbread

Photo / Babiche Martens

Makes 24

1 tsp cardamom seeds
8 white peppercorns
250g butter, softened
1 cup icing sugar
1 cup cornflour
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup cashews, roasted and finely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 150C. Put the cardamom and peppercorns into a mortar and pestle or an electric spice grinder and grind until fine.

2. Cream the butter and icing sugar until pale. Sift the cornflour and flour together and add to the creamed mixture with the cashews and spice. Mix thoroughly.

3. Tip on to a bench and knead. Roll out to a 2cm thickness and cut. Bake on greased trays for 30 minutes or until lightly golden.