Cinnamon Almond Shortbread Pear Recipes

ALMOND SHORTBREAD I

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat butter with 1/2 cup sugar and almond extract until light and fluffy. With a wooden spoon, stir in flour until smooth and well combined. Divide dough into 2 parts. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• On lightly sugared surface, roll out dough, one part at a time, about 1/2-inch thick. Cut out cookies with a 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter. Place on ungreased cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Make an indentation in the center of each cookie with the end of a wooden spoon.
• Bake in preheated oven until cookies are light golden brown around the edges, 25 to 30 minutes. While still warm, roll in sugar. Cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an air-tight container.

CINNAMON-SWIRL PEAR BREAD

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine pears, water and 1/2 cup sugar. Simmer, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes or until tender. Drain well, reserving syrup. Add cold water if necessary to syrup to measure 1 cup; set aside. , In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add 1 teaspoon sugar; let stand for 10 minutes. Add the eggs, butter, honey, salt, extract, 4 cups flour and reserved pears and syrup. Beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/4 hours. , Punch dough down; divide into thirds. Roll each portion into a 16x8-in. rectangle. Combine cinnamon and remaining 3/4 cup sugar; sprinkle over dough to within 1/2 in. of edges. , Roll up, jelly-roll style, starting with a short side; pinch seams to seal. Place, seam side down, in three greased 9x5-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. , Bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Cover loosely with foil. Bake 15-20 minutes longer or until bread tests done. Remove from pans to wire rack to cool.

CINNAMON-ROASTED PECANS AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Beat egg whites with salt in a bowl until frothy; add sugar gradually, beating to stiff peaks. Gently fold in pecans, almonds, and cinnamon. Pour mixture onto a 15 1/2 x 10 1/2-inch jelly roll pan, drizzle melted butter over top, and toss to coat.
• Bake in the preheated oven, tossing every 10 minutes, until nuts are crisp, about 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

CINNAMON ALMOND SHORTBREAD PEAR

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 150°C/300oF/Mark2.
• Line oven trays with baking parchment and put the tray in the oven.
• In a large bowl sifted flour, cinnamon and almond meal. Mix well. Set aside.
• In another bowl beat butter, caster sugar and vanilla essence until light and creamy.
• Combine flour mixture and butter mixture, (may need to use hands) to form a dough.
• Roll the mixture into a large plum size or walnut sized balls and then shape each ball into a pear. (The more smaller you make them the more cloves you would need).
• Place the base of the clove (star shape end) on the top of the pear to the form the core.
• Place the pears on hot tray and bake in the oven for 12 minutes or until pale golden. (Please note if you are making them plum size baked them for 12 minutes or until pale golden, but if you are making walnut size it would be quicker).
• Remove tray and allow pears to stand on trays for 10 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool.
• Dust lightly with icing sugar. Store.
• Note: Please let everyone who is eating the shortbread pear knows it's a real clove on the top because they may want to remove it before eating.

ALMOND SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• With mixer beat butter and sugar until creamy.
• Beat in almond extract and salt.
• Mix in flour and blend into a soft dough by hand.
• Press dough into an ungreased 8x8" pan, top with almonds, pressing into dough bake 25-30 minutes until golden brown around edges.
• Use a dull knife to cut into squares while still warm when cool use a spatula to transfer slices to a rack to completely cool.

PECAN CINNAMON SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add pecans; cook and stir for 1 minute or until lightly toasted. Set aside., In a small bowl, cream confectioners' sugar and remaining butter. Combine the flour, cinnamon, salt and baking powder; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well (dough will be crumbly). Stir in pecans. , Pat into a 5-in. circle on an ungreased baking sheet. Using a fork, prick score lines to form four wedges. Bake at 350° for 14-16 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Immediately cut along score lines. Cool for 2 minutes before carefully removing to a wire rack.

CINNAMON PECAN SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Whisk first 6 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Add butter. Mash with back of fork until coarse meal forms. Using fingertips, work dough until smooth; shape into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill until firm but not hard, about 30 minutes.
• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. For wedges, shape dough into 2 disks. Place on 2 heavy baking sheets; cover with plastic. Flatten to 10-inch rounds. Remove plastic. Brush with glaze. Sprinkle with chopped pecans, then raw sugar; press to adhere. For round cookies, shape dough into 1-inch balls; arrange on 2 heavy baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Cover smooth-bottomed glass with plastic. Using glass, press each dough ball to 2-inch round. Cut with scalloped cookie cutter, if desired. Brush with glaze; top with pecan half and sprinkle with raw sugar.
• Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until golden, about 30 minutes for large rounds and 22 minutes for small rounds. Cool large rounds on sheets 10 minutes, then cut each into 16 wedges. Cool all cookies completely on sheets. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
• *Also called turbinado or demerara sugar; available at most supermarkets and at natural food stores.