Quick Spiced Vegan Shortbread

Of course, you probably know me very well for invading Vocal with my film studies stuff and articles entitled ‘a filmmaker’s guide’. I have often explained that I love to bake as well. Since I was young, I have loved the idea, the creativity and the relaxation of baking different things. I love to make macarons, layer cakes and gingerbread in particular and the activity of it really gets me away from my laptop (where I’m sure you know that I spend most of my life). So, I hope you enjoy me talking about what I bake and why I bake it complete with pictures (if not very good) of me actually baking, my baked goods in the process of being created and when they’re finished. I’m really happy to share this with you. And if you like, you can show me your baking (yes, I spend a lot of time writing, but I also spend a lot of time reading other people’s articles!), I would love to see it. Since I was in school, I was always interested in creating things, whether that be pieces of writing, welding things to make small statues or baking foods and making sweets (candy, if you’re American). I hope you enjoy looking at some of the stuff that has honestly kept me sane, because I seem to be going slightly mad.

Quick Spiced Vegan Shortbread

I love the spices of Christmas time and honestly, this is why it is my favourite season for baking, mixing cocktails and cooking delicious food. The flavours are warming and ever so tasty. In fruits, we have everything from apples to winter berries, oranges and many more. In vegetables, we have honey-glazed carrots and minted potatoes. In baking, we have the spices and nuts we so commonly associate with winter time and the colder seasons for their warming qualities.

Some of my favourite flavours contain nuts and spices. Including: Nespresso's Hazelnut Coffee, almond everything, cinnamon spiced cookies, lemon and ginger glazes and of course, the famed roasted nuts glazed in spices and honey.

When it comes to making shortbread, I have to admit I normally do not eat it myself because I don't like it. Shop-bought shortbread can taste too dense and even eating one can make me feel like I'm being weighed down to the underworld. Basically, the shop-bought one gives me a stomach ache because of its density. When I make my own shortbread, I always take this into account and try to make it taste really light and crumbly.

I'm going to tell you how to make my favourite shortbread. It's vegan, it has lower sugar than a normal shortbread and it's even gluten-free.

But I think the best thing about it is that it only takes about half an hour to bake and serve!

You will need

• 125g Plant-Based Butter
• 55g Coconut Sugar
• 180g Ground Almonds
• 1tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

Instructions to Make Your Shortbread

1. Preheat your oven to 200C and line two baking trays with parchment paper. I would not suggest using oil to grease them considering you want the shortbread to be dry and the oil can risk seeping into the biscuits, making them slightly soggy
2. Cream together the butter and sugar, adding the spice and vanilla as it creams together. I like adding the spices first because then they get perfectly blended into the mixture before you go for the base ingredient
3. Add in the ground almonds and mix together until it forms a wet dough-like mixture and then begin spooning it on to the baking trays in small circles. They will expand slightly, so be aware of this
4. Bake in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes until the edges of the biscuits have browned off and the biscuit itself is still slightly soft to the touch
5. Allow the biscuits to cool for about ten minutes or so before applying your favourite icing thinly to the top in your own design (I would recommend not using buttercream and using fondant instead since some people would like to enjoy this biscuit warm and thus, can put it in the microwave to warm as they please without the buttercream melting and going everywhere)
6. You can now keep these biscuits in your fridge for up to five days if they are sealed in an air-tight box/container of some kind

Enjoy your biscuits!