Mala Shortbread
Gingersnaps (and all other things ginger/cinnamon-ey) are great, but when it comes to battling the winter chill, hot pot is the GOAT for me. Specifically, Sichuanese hot pot is the best - its signature numbing mala spices takes the chill away so well, you’ll sweat like there’s a heatwave. With portable hot pots now being sold at most Asian stores, it’s getting easier to get that mala kick on the go, but when a portable hot pot pack and kettle aren’t quite handy, these shortbread just might do the trick.
Ingredients:
90g all purpose flour
25g granulated sugar
62g unsalted butter
4g ground Sichuan peppercorns
24g doubanjiang (if it’s a little too spicy, cut down on this!)
Mix the butter, all purpose flour and sugar together, until it forms a stiff dough.
Add in the ground Sichuan peppercorns and doubanjiang, and mix until well combined (but the dough shouldn’t be super soft).
Shape the dough into a log, and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or until solid.
Preheat the oven to 170°C, and in the meantime, slice the log into individual shortbreads.
Bake the shortbread for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.