Annie Bell's Lime Curd Shortbreads

The teatime classic with a tangy twist.

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   For the shortbreads:
   1. You will need a 4cm fluted biscuit cutter and a lightly oiled baking sheet. In a food processor, whiz all the ingredients for the shortbreads together into a dough. Wrap in clingfilm and chill overnight.
   2. Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan/310F/gas 21&#8260,2. On a lightly floured worksurface, roll the dough to just under 1cm thick and cut out the biscuits. (You should get about 20, rolling the dough twice.) Arrange these spaced slightly apart on the baking tray and chill for 30 minutes. Bake for 35-40 minutes until just starting to colour. Loosen with a spatula and leave to cool.
   3. Sandwich the biscuits together with a level teaspoon of lime curd, taking it almost to the edge. Dust with icing sugar using a fine strainer and arrange on a plate.
   
   For the lime curd:
   1. Have ready a pan containing a little simmering water with a bowl set over it. Place all the ingredients in the bowl and cook, whisking constantly, until the butter melts.
   2. Continue to stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens into a custard: be patient because although the process takes time, it happens very quickly at the end. Take care not to let the mixture boil, otherwise it will curdle, but don’t worry if it seems slightly lumpy.
   3. Pass the mixture through a sieve into a bowl, cover the surface with clingfilm and leave to cool, then chill overnight when the curd will set.
   
   NOTE This will make more than you need to fill the lime curd shortbread recipe but it’s not something to make in smaller quantities, and any left over will keep well in the fridge for a couple of weeks.