Rosewater Cream with Pistachio Shortbreads

My old toddler group girlfriends came round for lunch last week - we still meet up regularly even though the kids are nearly 12. There was still snow on the ground here so I made a really warming Chickpea and Chorizo stew with homemade bread and salad followed by Rosewater Cream with Pistachio Shortbreads. This idea came from the dessert I made when my family and I appeared with Gordon Ramsey on The F Word. The rosewater cream was very similar but we made puff pastry pinwheel biscuits ( that's a mouthful) with pistachios and raisins in them.

Rosewater Cream (makes 8 small glasses)

Couldn't be simpler

500ml double cream
Essence of rosewater ( about 1 dessertpoonful ) but to your own taste
1 dessertspoonful caster sugar
Crushed pistachios to decorate

Put all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until soft peaks.
Spoon or pipe into glasses and sprinkle with crushed pistachios

Pistachio Shortbreads

100g unsalted butter (soft)
50g caster sugar
130g plain flour
50g finely chopped pistachios

100g plain chocolate
Whole pistachios

Preheat oven 180 o C / 170o C fan

Cream butter and sugar until really light and fluffy
Then mix in the pistachios and finally the flour to form a dough - don't work it at all - tip out onto surface (best to use a piece of greaseproof paper) and just bring together.
Roll out on the paper ( prevents sticking) and using a 2 inch diameter round cutter make the biscuits.
Use a palette knife to transfer them to a baking tray with greaseproof paper or a silicon baking sheet on and bake for 8 - 10 minutes until cooked through but not coloured.
Allow to cool
Meanwhile melt the plain chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water or in the microwave for a couple of minutes taking care not to burn it.
When the biscuits have cooled, dip the ends into the chocolate and place on to another piece of greaseproof or on the silicon sheet.
Decorate each with 3 pistachios and allow to set in the fridge.

Really simple and quick !!