Pistachio and Cardamom Shortbread Biscuits

Taken from Yotam Ottolenghi's brilliant cookbook, this shortbread recipe is a combination of traditional British baking with Middle Eastern flavours. These shortbread biscuits use aromatic cardamom and nutty pistachios. The result is a shortbread that's perfect for afternoon tea or as a dessert for an elegant dinner party.

What Makes These Shortbread Biscuits Special

These aren't your typical Scottish shortbread biscuits. The addition of ground rice creates an exceptional texture—melt-in-your-mouth tasty. The cardamom adds an exotic taste that pairs beautifully with the rich butter, while the pistachios provide both visual appeal and a delightful nutty crunch.

Ingredients

Butter (200g)

• It must be unsalted to control the salt content.
• It should be at room temperature for proper creaming.
• Quality matters—use the best butter you can afford.
• European-style butter with higher fat content works particularly well.

Plain Flour (240g)

• Standard plain flour works best.
• Avoid self-raising flour.
• Sift before using for the lightest texture.

Ground Rice (25g)

• Creates the characteristic melt in your mouth texture.
• It can be found in most supermarkets.
• Don't substitute with rice flour.
• Adds a subtle crunch to the finished biscuit

Icing Sugar (35g)

• Must be sifted to remove lumps
• Provides a more delicate sweetness than granulated sugar
• Helps create the melt-in-mouth texture
• Don't be tempted to add more; the balance is perfect.

Cardamom Pods (8 pods)

• Use green cardamom pods, not black.
• It must be fresh for the best flavour.
• Seeds should be ground just before use.
• Makes 1 teaspoon of ground cardamom.

Pistachios (60g)

• Use unsalted, shelled pistachios.
• Raw pistachios are preferred over roasted.
• It should be roughly chopped, not too fine.
• The natural green colour adds a beautiful look.

Vanilla Sugar (2 tablespoons)

• It can be bought or made at home with vanilla pods and sugar.
• Adds subtle vanilla notes.
• Creates a lovely finish on the biscuits.
• Can substitute with regular sugar mixed with vanilla extract.

Equipment Needed

• Stand mixer with paddle attachment
• Pestle and mortar
• Sharp knife
• Baking trays
• Baking parchment
• Cling film
• Pastry brush
• Sieve for sifting

Method

Preparing the Cardamom

1. Examine pods for freshness—they should be bright green and aromatic.
2. Place the pods in the pestle and mortar.
3. Gently crush to split pods open.
4. Remove and discard the green husks.
5. Return seeds to mortar.
6. Grind until very fine.
7. Sift, if necessary, to remove any tough bits.

Making the Dough

1. Ensure butter is at perfect room temperature—it should dent easily when pressed.
2. Sift together flour and icing sugar to remove any lumps.
3. Place butter, ground rice, sifted flour, salt, ground cardamom, and icing sugar in a stand mixer bowl.
4. Mix on low speed until ingredients just start to come together.
5. Increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough forms a ball.
6. Stop immediately once the ball forms—do not overmix.

Shaping the Log

1. Lightly dust the work surface with flour.
2. Turn the dough out onto a surface.
3. Shape roughly into a rectangle with your hands.
4. Roll into a log shape, using gentle pressure.
5. For standard-sized biscuits, aim for a log about 5 cm in diameter.
6. Roll back and forth on a smooth surface.
7. Wrap tightly in cling film.
8. Refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour (can be left overnight).

Preparing the Pistachios

1. Place nuts in a food processor.
2. Pulse 3-4 times only.
3. Check the texture—it should be roughly chopped, not powdered.
4. Pour onto a flat plate or board.
5. Break up any large pieces by hand.

Coating the Log

1. Remove the dough from the fridge.
2. Unwrap it, but save the Cling film.
3. Lightly, beat an egg in a small bowl.
4. Using a pastry brush, coat the entire log surface with egg.
5. Roll log in chopped pistachios.
6. Press pistachios gently into the surface of the log.
7. Use your hands to fill any bare spots.
8. Rewrap in saved cling film.
9. Refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Baking the Shortbread

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan).
2. Line baking trays with parchment.
3. Remove the log from the fridge.
4. Using a sharp knife, cut into 1 cm slices.
5. Place the slices on trays 2 cm apart.
6. Sprinkle each biscuit with vanilla sugar.
7. Bake for 20 minutes, rotating trays halfway.
8. Watch carefully—the edges should be just golden.
9. Remove from oven
10. Leave on trays until completely cool.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

Storage

• Keep it in an airtight container.
• Will last up to 7 days
• Separate layers with parchment.
• Store in a cool, dry place.
• Do not refrigerate once baked.

Make-Ahead Options

• The dough can be frozen before adding the pistachios.
• Wrap well in cling film, then foil.
• Freeze for up to 3 months.
• Thaw overnight in the fridge.
• Continue with the pistachio coating when it is thawed.

Troubleshooting

Problem: Dough too soft to roll
Solution: Chill for 15 minutes before attempting to roll again.

Problem: Pistachios not sticking
Solution: Ensure the egg wash covers the entire surface and press the nuts in firmly.

Problem: Biscuits spreading during baking
Solution: Ensure the dough is properly chilled before cutting and baking.

Problem: Uneven browning
Solution: Rotate trays halfway through baking and ensure oven temperature is accurate.

Variations and Substitutions

Nut Variations

• Use almonds instead of pistachios
• Mixed chopped nuts
• Pine nuts for a different texture
• Macadamias for extra richness

Spice Variations

• Cinnamon instead of cardamom
• Mixed spice for the Christmas version
• Orange zest addition
• Vanilla bean seeds in dough

📖 Recipe