To make the shortbread dough, you can use either an electric hand mixer with the beaters attachment or a wooden spoon and elbow grease. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened – not melted! – butter until smooth and pale. Add the icing sugar and cream until well combined and fluffy.

With the mixer on low speed, mix in the mint extract, flour and salt until a shaggy dough forms. Then use your hands to bring the dough together in the bowl, making sure to not overwork the dough.

Form the dough into a flat disk, wrap it in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 160C and set aside two baking trays.

Roll out the dough to 1cm thick in between two pieces of baking paper - keep the baking paper to line the baking trays with!

Using your favourite cookie cutters, cut out as many biscuits as you can before pressing the scraps back together and repeating the same process. If the cut out dough has warmed too much, pop it back in the fridge - tray and all - for 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can shape the dough into a log and slice it into rounds.

Place the biscuits onto baking-paper lined baking trays, spaced about 5cms apart, and bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are a pale golden brown and quite blonde on top still, with no shiny sheen. Make sure to switch the trays around at the halfway mark.

Let the biscuits cool on the tray, shortbread sets as it cools, and it might crack if moved while still warm.

Store your shortbread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.