I was looking through one of my old (pre-1990) Women's Weekly cookbooks, Beautiful Biscuits, and I spied a recipe for Viennese Shortbread. As the weather had taken a dip precariously close to single digits (and it was reasonably close to Summer!!!!) I decided that I definitely needed to eat some of these vanillary buttery biscuits. Of course, why not make the recipe gluten free at the same time and see how much butter I can actually fit into them.

I'm absolutely ecstatic at how they've turned out - so incredibly moreish. I managed to fit even more butter into the biscuit than previous ones :). For comparison wheat based Viennese shortbread dough contains approximately 35% butter, whereas these little delights dough contains approximately 41% butter. For you buttery biscuit lovers out there prepare to enjoy!

 I didn't know what to call them, as I'm not completely sure that they should be called Viennese Shortbread, so I asked for help on Facebook, one of the suggestions was Dipples. If you want to know the reasoning behind the name visit the Decadent Alternatives Facebook page.   

This recipe was designed specifically to be made with Bakers' Magic gluten free flour. The finished baked product will simply not be the same if you use another gluten free flour (you probably won't be able to fit all the butter in) and you will need to adjust the recipe, particularly if the flour you're using contains rice flour.

It will be easier to make this recipe if you have a food processor and a stand mixer.

 

Ingredients

Dry ingredients 

250 g Bakers' Magic Gluten free flour - recipe available

30 g Maize starch

1/8 tsp Salt

100 g Icing sugar

 

Wet ingredients 

200 g Butter (melted)

3 tsp Vanilla bean paste

1 Egg

40 g Hot water

 

Extra

150 g Butter (softened)

 

Toppings

250 g Dark chocolate (good quality)

Approximately 150 g Glace Cherries

 

Maize starch = Cornflour from maize/corn. For more information go to Maize starch vs Cornflour. 

 

 

Method

Simple Instructions

1. Mix together the Bakers' Magic gluten free flour, salt and icing sugar. 
2. Melt the butter.
3. Add vanilla, hot water and egg to the butter.
4. Add combined wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix with a spatula until combined and free from lumps. 
5. Chill dough for at least an hour. 
6. Put dough into a food processor and process until the dough is malleable. 
7. Soften the extra butter (don't melt). 
8. Transfer dough to a stand mixer. Beat dough and add in butter until well creamed.
9. Turn oven on to 170 degrees fan forced.
10. Transfer dough to a piping bag fitted with a size 9 star nozzle. 
11. Pipe circles (about the size of a small lime) onto trays lined with baking paper. Allow room for dough to expand during baking. 
12. Put trays in fridge for approximately 10 minutes. 
13. Bake for approximately 20 - 25 minutes, until the biscuits are golden brown.
14. Allow to cool before 1/2 dipping in chocolate and adding half a glace cherry to the centre. 
15. Allow chocolate to set before consuming (but you don't really have to). 

 

More Detailed Instructions

Mix together the dry ingredients. I usually blitz them together in a food processor. 

In another container melt 200 g of the butter.

Add the hot water, vanilla bean paste & egg to the melted butter. Stir to combine. Don't let this mixture cool.

Pour the melted butter mix over the combined dry ingredients & stir to combine.

It can be mixed by hand, fork or wooden spoon. Mechanical devices can over mix the dough very easily, it is best done by hand.

At this stage the dough will feel slightly greasy. Wrap the dough in plastic clingwrap or put it in a plastic bag & store in the fridge/freezer for approximately 1 hour. The dough can be frozen at this stage.    

Cooling the dough is important - after cooling the butter is fully absorbed, flexibility is increased & the dough is easier to handle (and we can then put in more butter).

Bring the dough out of the fridge, it will be hard. Put the dough into a food processor to break up the dough. Process until the dough is at least the size of tapioca pearls.

 

Next step involves creaming the extra butter into the dough. 

Transfer broken up dough to a stand mixer bowl and beat.

Add in softened butter and beat into the dough. The creamier the dough the better. 

Turn oven on to 170 degrees (fan forced). 

Transfer dough to a piping bag fitted with a size 9 star nozzle. 

Line 3 baking trays with baking paper. 

Pipe circles (about the size of a small lime) onto trays lined with baking paper. Allow room for dough to expand during baking. I usually pipe them in a 3, 2, 3, 2, 3 configuration. 

Refrigerate piped dough for approximately 10 minutes. 

Bake in the oven for approximately 20 - 25 minutes. The actual time will depend on your oven and how thick you've piped the swirls. Turn the trays halfway through the baking time if your oven has a hot spot. 

Allow the biscuits to cool. 

Melt the chocolate. 

Cut the glace cherries in half. 

Half dip the cooled biscuits and transfer to a lined baking tray (I use the ones I've just used). 

Top with half a glace cherry. 

Allow to cool (or not ;)). 

Simply enjoy!