In response to some Emails and PMs, I decided to try these again with LESS Pepper and using regular all-purpose flour, just to see if they came out better. I feel that they came out differently.. no worse and perhaps just a little better in terms of being less spicy and therefore having wider appeal. Stilly River sage had a point about 1/4 cup of coursely ground pepper being a bit MUCH! LOL. I reduced it to an 8th of a cup. Here's the revised version of the Recipe:



Sherry Pepper Shortbread Biscuits - the 'light on the pepper' version


3 cups of All Purpose Flour, sifted
1 and one half sticks American Butter, melted.
(that would be 3/4 cup of melted butter)
1/8 cup coarsely ground Black Peppercorns
(ground up in a coffee grinder...pulse until you like the size)
1 cup confectioner's Sugar or Icing Sugar to you UK/ROI/OZ folks
1 cup of sweet Sherry or Port Wine


Mix the ground peppercorns into the flour in a large mixing bowl. Add the cup of confectioner's sugar. Then slowly work in the melted butter until the mixtures looks like it is forming pea sized lumps. it will still be somewhat dry. When pouring the Sherry, be mindful of sediment. You may pour it through a Tea strainer to be sure to prevent any sediment from going into the shortbread dough. Blend in the Sherry just until the mixture comes to form a ball.

Wrap the ball in wax paper and let rest in the regrigerator for 30 minutes. Remove from refrigerator, roll out dough, cut with desired size round cutter and then bake as if it were a regular shortbread.

I cut mine in to rounds with a 2 inch diameter biscuit cutter and made them somewhat thick. They took 25 minutes at 375 Degrees Farenheit. You want to make sure the tops have begun to turn golden brown before you remove them from the oven. Cool them for about 15 minutes before serving, or cool them completely and store in a tin. They should store well for up to a week in a cool & dry place.

They are quite fragrant and spicy. My Husband, who is not Davetnova, liked them with butter as a snack or, without butter as an accompaniment to soup/stew. This version is milder and probably more appropriate. I hope Batgoddes gets to make some and enjoy them!