Ingredients
- 200 g plain flour
- 130 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 60 g icing sugar, sifted
- 6 g spirulina powder (1 heaped teaspoon)
- Pinch of fine salt
- Half a teaspoon vanilla extract
Method
- Rub the cold butter into the flour, spirulina, icing sugar, and salt with fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add vanilla.
- Bring together into a dough — handle minimally; overworking makes tough shortbread. Wrap and refrigerate 20 minutes.
- Roll to 5 mm on a lightly floured surface. Cut with a round or rectangular cutter.
- Bake at 160°C for 12–14 minutes — the shortbread should not colour. Remove while still pale.
- Cool completely on a rack before eating.
Why this pairing works
The high butter content carries spirulina's fat-soluble compounds well. At 0.3 g per biscuit, this is a low-dose vehicle — suitable for children or anyone who wants to introduce spirulina incrementally. The green colour is vivid and the taste is almost entirely butter and vanilla.
Note. Don't rush the chilling step — cold dough keeps its shape in the oven. Warm dough spreads.