Martje's Royal Cookery Book: Frewyn Shortbread Burls

Frewyn is known for its bakery goods. It is a kingdom built on butter, so writes Baronous Hodge, an immigrant to Frewyn who came from Marridon and eventually ended up living there, largely due to the peace in their agrarian society, but in some small part to the food: "It is the fault of their cookery that I dread going back to Marridon." From Martje's Royal Cookery Book, here is an extract and one of Baronous' favourite recipes: 

Baronous Hodge, on how Frewyns manage their kitchens:  

Frewyns never seem to measure things. They have their own system of measurements, which is linked closely with Marridon’s arrangement, but they never seem at liberty to use it. It is a foreigner who needs a recipe; no cook in Frewyn has ever written anything down except to catalogue it for posterity, and even then a cook may glance over it and never look at the ingredients twice.  Cooking is an art, baking is a science, but Frewyn cookery is seemingly some kind of amalgamation of magic. They eyeball everything, adding a dash of this and a splash of that—it is impossible to follow them, as though they are a coven of conspirators, conniving over puddings and scheming over steaks. Every oven has a different temper, every spit is turned at a different pace, every batter is mixed every cook commands her kitchen like a garrison. They govern their roasts like kings managing a court, mantling over their cauldrons like a coven brewing a potion, the grandmasters ordering their staff about like a general commanding his army, superintending everything from start to finish. It is a fascinating thing to behold: a series of points and shouts, a flourish of flour, a melt of salt and butter, and suddenly there are scones and shortbreads done up in fine array in front of you. 

Shortbread Burls - Chocolate Almond variety

Ingredients: 

Frewyn salted butter (grass-fed only, half pound) 
Icing sugar (quarter pound) 
Dark chocolate (6oz)
Almond extract (43 ml)
Splash of vanilla 
Sifted flour (half pound)
Almond shavings for garnish

Method: 
Prepare two pans or pots. In one pot, stew together butter and sugar, and in the other, stew together chocolate, almond extract, and vanilla. Once both mixtures are well-blended, mix them together over a low heat. 
Place sifted flour in large bowl, and make a well in the middle. Slowly pour the hot liquid mixture into the flour well and stir gently until everything is blended, and mix until the dough comes away from the bowl.
Shape into little burls, flatten them onto a guarded pan, and garnish them with almond slices.
Bake at a medium heat (375F) for twenty minutes.