Lovely, delicate and crunchy! These baked gems are a spin on the traditional shortbread with a fruity twist.

Ingredients

200 g dried apricot (finely chopped)

4 tablespoons apricot jam

4 tablespoons water

250 g butter (chopped)

100 g golden caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

250 g plain flour

140 g ground rice flour

Method

• Heat oven to 180°C
• Grease and line a shallow cake tin with baking parchment
• Put apricots, apricot jam and water in a small pan.
• Simmer over a medium heat until thick.
• Then mash the apricots a little with a fork and set to the side to cool down
• Tip the butter, caster sugar, and vanilla into a large bowl.
• Beat with an electric whisk until fluffy
• Add flour and ground rice flour to the mixture with a wooden spoon. Mix through.
• Tip it out on a bench with a bit of flour and use your fingers to make a ball of dough
• Break the dough down into small balls, leaving an indent in the center of the tiny balls of dough. Place on the backing tin. 
• Scoop in a little of the apricot mixture into the indentations
• Bake for 25 minutes until the edges are starting to turn golden
• Leave to cool
   

Serve best with a cup of tea or coffee. 

Note: Perfect homemade gift to give someone you love

ENJOY!