1. CREAM the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the sifted flour, cornflour, and the almonds. Turn onto a floured surface and gently knead together.
2. ROLL tablespoonful amounts of mixture into 20cm long sticks and place on greased baking trays.
3. BAKE in a moderate oven 180oC for 15-20 minutes or until cooked and lightly golden. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes before lifting off onto rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container until required.
4. PLACE the chocolate into a plastic microwave proof bowl. Microwave on 50% power in 20 second increments, stirring the chocolate between each burst of power. You will need 3 or 4 x 20 second bursts, then 1 or 2 x 10 second bursts. Only microwave the chocolate until about 75% of it has melted. The rest will melt as you stir it, due to residual heat. (Using a digital thermometer to gauge the temperature takes the guess work out of the process. For milk chocolate heat only to approx. 29-30°C)
5. DIP each shortbread in the melted chocolate until half coated then allow the excess to run off. Place on a baking paper lined tray then sprinkle the decorations over the chocolate end. Allow to set at room temperature .Store in an airtight container until required.