Add the walnuts to a dry skillet and toast on the stovetop over low hear for 5-7 minutes, until they’re a deeper colour and fragrant. Set aside to cool completely before crushing, either with a rolling pin or on a food processor (just don’t over pulse or you’re end up with walnut butter!).

To make the dough, add the softened butter and sugar to a medium mixing bowl and cream together using handheld electric beaters. Add the honey and continue to beat until pale, fluffy and mixed together with no streaks. Add the flour and crushed walnuts and mix until just combined.

Turn the dough out on a long strip of parchment paper, and using your hands, pat it into a long log shape. If you have a pastry scraper, roll the top of the parchment over the dough log, position the pastry scraper in the crease at the base of the dough and pull the top layer of parchment paper toward you, keeping the pastry scraper in place to produce a rolling effect and shaping the dough into a more uniformly circular log shape. Alternatively, move the pastry scraper (or butter knife or ruler) back and forth across the crease to even out the log shape.

Chill the shortbread log in the fridge for 90 minutes. To maintain it’s circular shape, rest it on something with some give, like some rice, or suspended over two containers. Or not… they don’t have to be perfectly circular, they’re shortbread!

Remove the log from the fridge and cut it into 20-25, 5mm thick biscuits, turning the log every other slice to keep a circular shape. Place the shortbread on 2 parchment-lined baking trays, well spaced apart. Chill while the over preheats to 180°C.

When the oven has come up to temp, transfer the baking trays to the oven and bake the shortbread for 12 to 14 minutes, until the edges are starting to turn a lightly golden colour. Let them cool on the baking trays for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

To decorate, heat the dark chocolate in the microwave, in increments of 10 second bursts, until melted and get the extra crushed walnuts ready in a small bowl. Dip the cooled shortbread, first into the melted chocolate and then into the crushed walnuts. Place them back onto the cooling tray to set.

Enjoy with a cup of coffee (chocolate dipped) or tea (non-chocolate dipped), or package them up with the parchment paper and string for a beautiful and tasty homemade present!