Nut Shortbread Recipes

PECAN SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter and sugar until they are just combined. Add the vanilla and almond extracts. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter/sugar mixture. Add the pecans and mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
• Roll the dough 1/2-inch thick and cut into 2 1/2-inch squares with a plain or fluted cutter (or cut into any shape you like). Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature and serve.

FRUIT AND NUT SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar. Add yolk and flour. Cut in fruit and nuts. Shape dough into two rolls 2 inches in diameter and roll in waxed paper. Chill overnight.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• While still cold and wax paper still on, take a sharp knife and cut thin slices (1/8 inch). Set on greased cookie sheets, remove wax paper and bake for 10 minutes. (Slightly brown edges).

MIXED-NUT SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.
• Stir together butter and 1/3 cup sugar in a medium bowl with a wooden spoon until combined well. Stir in vanilla, then add flour and mix with your hands just until a dough forms.
• Transfer dough to a lightly greased baking sheet and spread evenly with your fingers to form an 8-inch square. Sprinkle nuts evenly over dough, pressing down to help them adhere.
• Sprinkle remaining tablespoon sugar over nuts and bake until shortbread is deep golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Cool on baking sheet on a rack, 10 minutes. Cut into 18 (roughly 3- by 1 1/2-inch) bars.

BRAZIL NUT SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Grind the Brazil nuts finely.
• Beat the butter until fluffy, add the sugar and beat until fluffy again--do beat adequately.
• Sift in the flours and the nuts and work to a smooth dough.
• Cover a baking sheet with parchment.
• place a 6" flan ring or tart form on the cookie sheet to use as a guide.
• Press the dough onto the sheet inside the ring to form a neat 6" inch circle.
• Remove the ring and flatten the dought slightly with a rolling pin.
• Prick the circle of dough with a fork and score it into eight wedges.
• Sprinkle with a little granulated sugar and bake for forty minutes.
• Remove from the oven and cut along the score lines and leave to cool for two minutes.
• Lift onto a rack and cool completely.
• If they don't get immediately eaten, store in an airtight container.

MACADAMIA NUT CRANBERRY SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with parchment paper; set aside.
• In a large bowl stir together the flour, granulated sugar and salt. Coarsely shred the butter over the flour mixture. Toss in with a fork. Use your fingers to gently massage the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal and the mixture sticks together when squeezed between your fingers.
• Add the nuts, baking pieces, and cranberries and stir lightly to mix. Transfer to the prepared baking pan and press evenly. Sprinkle the top with coarse sugar. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until top is golden brown. Remove and cool in pan on a wire rack for at least 2 hours.
• Remove from pan and cut into bars. Cover and store shortbread in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (or in the freezer for 3 months). Candied Cranberries
• In a large saucepan combine the grapefruit juice, cranberry juice, 3 cups sugar, vanilla bean, cinnamon, zest, and salt. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar has dissolved. Remove and allow to cool until warm but not hot, about minutes.
• Add the cranberries to the mixture and stir. Let stand until room temperature. Transfer to a bowl; cover and chill overnight.
• Drain cranberries well, reserving syrup and vanilla bean. Cover and chill the syrup with the vanilla bean for up to 3 weeks. Remove 1/2 (about 2 cups) of the cranberries. Toss with 1/4 cup red decorating sugar. Toss remaining cranberries with the 1/4 cup white sugar.
• Spread the cranberries out in a parchment paper-lined shallow baking pan, keeping the colors separate. Let stand for 1 hour to dry. Store loosely covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.

SAVORY MIXED-NUT SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 325 degrees. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, rosemary sprig and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook over medium, swirling occasionally, until the butter is just melted. (You can also do this in a bowl in the microwave, stirring between 30-second bursts). Set aside to cool slightly. (Take a whiff of the butter; it smells like rosemary!)
• In an ungreased 9-by-13-by-2-inch pan, use a fork to stir together the flour, sugar and cayenne until combined. Remove and discard the rosemary sprig from the butter. Pour the melted butter into the dry ingredients. Stir with a fork to combine, then use your hands to mix until no dry spots remain.
• Press the dough evenly into the pan. Prick all over with a fork. Sprinkle the nuts and rosemary leaves on top, shake into a single layer, then press firmly into the dough until the nuts' sides are surrounded by dough. (This is important, otherwise the nuts won't adhere.) Sprinkle evenly with 1 teaspoon sugar and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
• Bake until golden brown (including in the center) and the edges start to pull away from the sides, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Let cool completely, then gently break up with your hands into jagged pieces. Nuts along the edge may fall out. (Those are yours to eat.) The shortbread will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

CHOCOLATE NUT SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Cover baking sheet with parchment paper; draw two circles, each 7 to 7-1/2 inches.
• Measure flour, cocoa, sugar and salt into the food processor or into the large bowl of electric mixer. Mix well. Cut the butter into thin slices and add to the flour mixture. Mix or process until mixture resembles moist sand. Add the chocolate and nuts and continue mixing until a dough forms. Shape dough into a smooth ball. Cut the dough into quarters. Shape each quarter into a smooth ball. Place dough ball onto the center of each circle drawn on the parchment paper. Flatten the round to within 1/2 inch of the inside edge of the round. With a fork, make impressions on the top of each round and use the fork to round off the edges. Sprinkle each round with 1 teaspoon sugar. With a straight knife, cut each round into eight wedges; leave wedges in place.
• Bake for 1 hour or until the shortbread is a light golden color. With a straight-edged knife, cut the wedges apart while still warm.

NUT SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Cream the butter until it is light. Cream in the powdered sugar and vanilla.
• Stir in the ground nuts, then the flour and cornstarch.
• Knead until smooth on a very lightly floured board. (This dough is sticky).
• Spray the shortbread pan very lightly with a non stick veggie spray.
• Firmly press the dough into the shortbread pan.
• Prick the entire surface with a fork and bake the shortbread right in the pan.
• Bake at 325 degrees for about 30-35 minutes, or until very lightly browned.
• Let shortbread cool in its pan for about 10 minutes before you loosen the edges with a knife and flip the pan over onto a wooden cutting board.
• If the shortbread does not come right out, tap one edge of the pan.
• Cut the shortbread into serving pieces while it is still warm.