Home > Afternoon tea recipes > Gill Meller’s brown butter and poppy seed shortbread biscuits

Gill Meller’s brown butter and poppy seed shortbread biscuits

Name: Gill Meller’s brown butter and poppy seed shortbread biscuits
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: Serves 8-10
Cuisine: British recipes
Ingredients: 300g unsalted butter; 150g golden caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling; 300g plain flour; 150g cornflour; 1 tbsp poppy seeds; You will also need…; 25 x 15cm non-stick cake tin

Published: 22 Sep 17
Updated: 18 Mar 24

These easy, moreish shortbread biscuits topped with poppy seeds are perfect as an afternoon snack or with afternoon tea.

Or, for a little heat, make these ginger shortbread biscuits.

Easy
Online only

Test kitchen approved

Serves 8-10
Hands-on time 35 min, oven time 55 min

These easy, moreish shortbread biscuits topped with poppy seeds are perfect as an afternoon snack or with afternoon tea.

Or, for a little heat, make these ginger shortbread biscuits.

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Ingredients

300g unsalted butter
150g golden caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
300g plain flour
150g cornflour
1 tbsp poppy seeds

You will also need…

25 x 15cm non-stick cake tin

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Method

Heat the oven to 170C/150C fan/gas mark 3 1/2. Put the butter in a small heavy-based pan over a low-medium heat. Shake the pan once in a while to stop the butter spitting. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, until the butter smells fragrant and nutty and you see the solids browning on the base of the pan. Skim any foamy bubbles from the top.
Put the sugar in a medium mixing bowl, then pour over the butter, leaving the solids in the base of the pan; mix well. Combine the flour, cornflour and a pinch of fine salt in a separate bowl, then add to the butter and sugar mixture.
Use a spatula to bring everything together to a soft dough. Spread the dough evenly into the cake tin, pressing it down with a spatula to level it. Bake for 50-55 minutes until just firm. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with caster sugar and the poppy seeds. Use a knife to score into rectangular fingers. When fully cool, cut into fingers.