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 Lemons (Wikipedia)

  Red chile powder http://www.thechilecasa.com/

Note: Instead of lemon peel, lime or orange peel can be substituted in Lemon Chile Shortbread Biscuits.

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 c AP/plain flour
• 2/3 c granulated sugar
• 1/4 c rice flour or cornstarch/cornflour
• 1/2 tsp powdered red chile/chili (hot or not as liked)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 oz (1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, chilled)
• 2 1/2 tsp freshly-grated lemon rind (yellow part only)
• a few drops of fresh lemon juice

Method

1. Heat oven to 300F.
2. Mix the flours, sugar, chile powder and salt. Chop the butter into dice and cut intothe dry ingredients. The mixture should look like crumbs. Fold in the lemon rind and a few drops of lemon juice. Knead the dough very lightly just until it holds together. Overkneading toughens shortbread. Divide the dough into two parts. Pat each half into 8-inch diameter round cake pans. Use a fork to poke tiny holes all over the  surface of the dough. Score each Lemon Chile Shortbread into 12 wedges, but don’t cut down all the way.
3. Bake at 300 F for about 40 minutes. The Lemon Chile Shortbread Biscuits should be baked through and light brown. Cool the shortbread in the pans for 5 minutes on a rack. Cut through the scored lines and allow it to finish cooling. Transfer the Lemon Chile Shortbread Biscuits carefully to a platter for serving or to an airtight box for storage.

Lemon Chile Shortbread Biscuits are  perfect for afternoon tea! Add Pecan Coffee Cake, Classic Scones, Orange Cream Scones and  English Apple Cake for a perfect tea time spread and a taste of New Mexico.

 Lemon Shortbread Biscuits (www.landoflakes.com)

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