Makes about 20

Usually associated with savoury dishes, rosemary is a great, robust winter herb that can give shortbread a different dimension. I find that it makes the biscuits taste a little less sweet.

340g plain flour, plus extra for rolling
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
225g unsalted butter, softened
140g caster sugar, plus extra to sprinkle
2 tbsp chopped rosemary leaves

1 Sift the flour with the salt. Put the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.

2 Turn the mixer to its lowest setting and add the rosemary then the flour, a little at a time. Stop mixing as soon as the dough comes together. Shape the dough into a flattened ball, wrap in clingfilm and chill for at least 20 minutes.

3 Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. For bars, gently pack the dough into a lightly buttered Swiss roll tin. Score the surface to mark out bars and prick all over with a fork. For biscuits, roll out the dough on a lightly floured board to 5-7mm thick. Stamp out the biscuits using a cookie cutter, then transfer to two lightly buttered baking sheets, leaving a little space between each biscuit. Prick each biscuit with a fork.

4 Bake for 15-20 minutes until pale golden. Let the shortbread cool on the tray for 10 minutes until firm, then transfer to a wire rack for them to cool completely.

5 Sprinkle with caster sugar, if you like. Keep in an airtight container.

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