Mixed peel & polenta shortbread

Put the butter, lemon zest, sugar, flour and polenta into a large bowl and rub together with your fingertips until a stiff dough starts to form. You can also do this by pulsing the ingredients in a food processor. The mix will start to resemble wet sand, then clump together into a dough. Add the lemon juice and mixed peel, then knead into a rough ball.

Dust the work surface with a little flour and roll the dough out into 3 sausages, about 5cm in diameter. Wrap each in baking parchment or reusable beeswax wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour (or freeze, see tip).

Preheat the oven to 170ºC, gas mark 3. Line a baking tray (or 2) with baking parchment or a reusable silicone baking mat. Unwrap a sausage of dough, then cut it into 0.5cm slices. Lay the slices on the prepared tray or trays, leaving about 3cm between each biscuit, as they spread during baking. Repeat with more dough, depending on how many you want to bake.

Bake for 20-22 minutes, until just beginning to brown. Leave the shortbreads on the tray or trays to cool for 5 minutes, then, using a palette knife, carefully move to a wire rack to cool completely. As with all biscuits, these will crisp up once cooled. They keep well in an airtight tin for 1-2 days but are best made and served on the same day.