Lavender-Rose Spice Sugar Shortbread Cups

Lavender-Rose Spice Sugar Shortbread Cups 🌸 These tiny shortbread cups are buttery and crisp at the edge, with a lemony vanilla cream filling, bright berry compote, toasted pistachio crumbs, and a fragrant lavender-rose spice sugar. They feel delicate, but the method is simple enough for an afternoon bake or a pretty dessert tray. 🍪✨ Yield: 18-20 mini cups Time: 35 minutes active, 12-15 minutes baking, plus cooling Ingredients For the shortbread cups: - 160 g plain flour - 40 g cornflour or rice flour - 60 g icing sugar - 1/4 tsp fine sea salt - 125 g cold unsalted butter, cubed - 1 tsp vanilla extract - 1-2 tsp cold milk, only if needed For the lavender-rose spice sugar: - 3 tbsp caster sugar - 1/2 tsp culinary dried lavender - 1 tsp dried edible rose petals - 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon - finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon For the filling and finish: - 120 g cream cheese, softened - 80 g thick Greek yogurt - 2 tbsp icing sugar, or to taste - 1 tsp vanilla extract - 1 tsp lemon juice - 4-5 tbsp thick berry compote or raspberry jam, loosened with a little lemon juice - 25 g toasted pistachios, finely chopped - extra edible petals and lemon zest, optional Method 1. Heat the oven to 170C / 150C fan. Lightly grease a mini muffin tin. In a bowl, mix the flour, cornflour, icing sugar and salt. Rub in the cold butter until the mixture looks sandy, then stir in vanilla. Press together into a soft dough, adding 1-2 teaspoons cold milk only if it feels dry. 2. Divide the dough into 18-20 small pieces. Press each piece into the muffin tin to form a shallow cup, keeping the base even and the sides slightly thicker than pastry-thin. Prick the bases once with a fork. 3. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the cups are set and pale gold around the edges. While still warm, gently press the centres down with the end of a small rolling pin or spoon handle to define the cup shape. Cool completely in the tin, then lift out carefully. 4. Make the spice sugar. Pulse or crush the caster sugar, lavender, rose petals, cinnamon and lemon zest until fragrant. Sieve out any large petal pieces if you want a finer finish. The sugar should smell floral, citrusy and warm, not soapy. 5. Beat the cream cheese, Greek yogurt, icing sugar, vanilla and lemon juice until smooth and softly spoonable. Taste and add a little more lemon or sugar if needed. 6. Fill each cooled shortbread cup with the vanilla cream. Add a small spoon of berry compote, then sprinkle with pistachios and a pinch of lavender-rose spice sugar. 7. Serve soon after filling for the crispest edges. For make-ahead prep, bake the cups and store them airtight for up to 2 days, make the filling and spice sugar separately, then assemble close to serving. 🫙 Serving ideas: - Lovely with tea, coffee or a chilled dessert wine. - Swap berry compote for roasted apricot, lemon curd or blackcurrant jam. - Keep the lavender light: too much can turn perfumed rather than delicious. Save this recipe for a small dessert that looks elegant without being fussy. Tasteloom.club 💚