Is there any combination like white chocolate and cranberries? These heavenly treats are just the thing to keep you happy and feeling comforted during winter. Not to mention that the cold weather is ideal for working with shortcrust pastry. So get cracking, and indulge in some white chocolate shortbread this weekend.

SERVES 6 // COOKING TIME 80 mins

INGREDIENTS
250g butter
1 tsp vanilla essence
125g icing sugar
240g cake flour
75g dried cranberries
100g white chocolate nibs
2 tbsp caster sugar

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 150°C.
2. Place the butter and vanilla essence in a food processor and start beating. Add the icing sugar bit by bit.
3. Mix in the flour, cranberries and white chocolate by hand, combining well.
4. Turn out on to a floured surface and shape into a ball. Wrap in cling film and chill for about 30 minutes, until firm.
5. Press the dough into a greased baking tray, mark out the shortbread fingers with a knife and prick all over with a fork. Sprinkle with caster sugar, then bake for 15–20 minutes, until golden.
6. Once cooled, cut into fingers along the lines. Store in tins lined with wax paper for up to a week.