Lemon myrtle as a flavour is gaining popularity here in Perth. Personally, store-bought lemon myrtle products are a little strong for my liking, but you can get dried herbs online to make your own amazing citrus goodies to your taste. Be warned: it’s quite lemony, but with a unique flavour of its own.
Sweet & simple shortbread
This is my favourite shortbread recipe. It’s super simple, just like good shortbread should be, and a great start for creating biscuits with a flavoursome twist.
Basic Shortbread
125g butter
55g sugar
180g plain flour
1.
Combine
butter and sugar, and mix well, being careful not to overwork the butter.
2.
Gradually
add the flour, massaging it with your fingertips until the whole mixture
resembles breadcrumbs. It’s important to use your fingertips here, as you don’t
want the heat from your palms to melt the butter. If your fingers are naturally
quite warm, run your wrists under cold water to help cool them down.
3.
Press
the crumbly mixture into a block, then cut into slices and chill in the fridge
for 20 minutes.
4. Bake for 15–20 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 190°C (374°F).
Deepen the flavour: Add a little lemon zest and vanilla essence in step 2 to complement the buttery flavours. Alternatively, use a lightly salted butter instead of unsalted butter to balance out the sweet.
Savour it savoury: Sugar in a recipe doesn’t mean you’re confined to making it sweet. Don’t be afraid to experiment with substituting a portion of the sugar for grated cheese, a little onion powder and garlic powder, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce.
Spice things up: Add a small amount of a sweet spice, such as cinnamon, ground ginger, caraway, cardamom, or nutmeg to bring new dimensions to a traditional shortbread.
A sweet romance with a touch of family drama.
Holly Chee does not have her life together. She’s flip-flopped on uni courses and career choices, and somehow scared off her long-term fiancĂ©e-to-be, much to the chagrin of her immigrant parents.
But she does have her streaming channel, where she broadcasts her art from her one-bedroom Mount Lawley apartment. And she has that guy from France… assuming he’s even who he says he is.
The Guy from the Internet is a sweet #OwnVoices Asian-Australian romance novella, set in the world of Somerville Downs.
Want to sample Birdie’s work first? Her short story The Guy from the Flower Shop is free on Kobo, B&N, Apple Books, Booktopia, and Angus & Robertson until 30 July 2022.
Birdie Song is an Asian-Australian writer. She pens sweet stories featuring hopeful characters and optimistic endings (spoiler alert). She believes love is more important than labels, integrity is a person’s most attractive quality, and that no one should be judged for putting pineapple on a pizza.
Her latest release is a “meet ugly” novelette. Enjoy a touch of sweet Australian romance with The Guy from the Park.
No comments:
Post a Comment