Hello Cookie: Citrus Shortbread Hearts

These cookies are inspired by my friend Zdenka, from whom I received a lovely box of iced shortbread cookies just before Christmas last year.  Due to a misunderstanding about our planned lunch ('where are you, I'm waiting!', 'oh, I thought you couldn't make it!', 'I left you a message!', 'I didn't get it! I'll come now but can't stay!'), we didn't get the chance to sit and chat, but Zdenka did give me the beautifully packaged box of cookies.  A recipe soon followed (via email) and I promised I'd make some.

Fast-forward two months later, and here they are... I've changed the recipe slightly have a citrus flavour, rather than the original cinnamon scent, but they are still a delicious morsel to have with a cup of tea.  With your sweetheart. Or anyone else fortunate enough to share your delightful company...

Citrus Shortbread Hearts
makes about 40

Ingredients
250g butter, cubed, at room temperature
1 ½ cups pure icing sugar
zest of 1 lemon
zest of 1 lime
3 ¼ cups plain flour
¼ cup water

Icing
¾ cup pure icing sugar
1 ½ tblsp lemon juice
2-3 drops pink food colouring

Method
1.  Preheat oven to 200 deg C.
2.  Beat the butter and icing sugar until light in colour and fluffy in texture.
3.  Gradually beat in the zest and flour, until well incorporated.
4.  The mixture will be a bit grainy at this stage, so add the water and mix well to form a dough.
5.  Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for a minute, until smooth.
6.  Roll the dough to 1cm (½ inch) thickness and cut out shapes with a cookie cutter (I mostly used a 4cm heart).  I also put the dough in the refrigerator to firm up a bit, as it was a warm day and it is a soft dough.
7.  Place shapes on a lined baking tray, 2cm apart, and bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden.
8.  Remove to cool on a wire rack.  When completely cool, coat with icing and leave to set.
9.  For the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl, and add the lemon juice and colouring.  Stir until it's all combined.  To make the icing more spreadable, fill the kitchen sink with about 5cm of hot water and place the bowl in the water when mixing. 

This is the type of recipe I like - not too many ingredients!

I picked up a set of heart cutters from the new Essential Ingredient store in Rozelle, together with some silver heart-shaped cachous and an orange silicon baking mat.  The mat is fabulous - you can roll out the dough on it and use it instead of baking paper, too.

I actually made two types of cookies - thinner un-iced ones, as well as the thicker lemon-iced ones. Tabitha cat kept a beady eye on them for me.

Just in time for February 14 - Valentine's Day, that is.
Or Chinese New Year, as well!