Pistachio Shortbread Recipe Epicuriouscom

PISTACHIO, LEMON, AND VANILLA SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Combine all purpose flour, sugar, and semolina flour in processor; blend 5 seconds. Add butter, lemon peel, and vanilla. Using on/off turns, blend until coarse meal forms. Turn dough out into bowl. Add nuts and knead gently to combine. Press dough evenly over bottom of prepared pan. Using fork, pierce dough all over.
• Bake shortbread until pale brown in center and golden at edges, about 35 minutes. Cool in pan on rack 10 minutes. Cut lengthwise into 4 strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 6 squares. Cool completely in pan. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover tightly with foil; store at room temperature.)
• *Semolina flour, often labeled "pasta flour," is available at specialty foods stores, Italian markets, and some supermarkets.

PISTACHIO SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Pulse pistachios in a food processor until finely ground but not a paste, about 30 seconds. Add flour, sugar, butter, salt, and vanilla; pulse until mixture is the consistency of cornmeal. With machine running, drizzle in 2 tablespoons ice water (a crumbly dough should form; do not overprocess).
• Transfer dough to a sheet of parchment paper and pat into a rectangle. Top with another sheet of parchment and roll out to a 12x8" rectangle. Transfer dough (in parchment paper) to a baking sheet and chill until firm, about 1 hour.
• Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 350°F. Remove top sheet of parchment paper from dough and discard. Cut dough lengthwise into 8 equal strips, then each strip crosswise into quarters, forming 32 rectangles. Place rectangles on 2 parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 1" apart.
• Bake shortbread until golden brown, rotating sheets halfway through, 18-20 minutes. Transfer to wire racks; let cool.
• DO AHEAD: Shortbread can be made 5 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

PISTACHIO-ROSE SHORTBREAD SQUARES

Steps:

• Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
• Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat powdered sugar and butter in a large bowl until aerated and pale, about 3 minutes. (Alternatively, use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.) Scrape down sides of bowl, then beat 2 minutes more. Reduce mixer speed to medium, add egg, and beat until well incorporated. Add tea, lemon zest, and vanilla and beat, scraping down sides of bowl, until combined, about 30 seconds more.
• Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in dry ingredients, followed by pistachios. Stir dough a few times with a spatula, making sure to get to bottom of bowl.
• Turn out dough onto a clean work surface and divide into quarters. Working one quarter at a time, place dough on a sheet of parchment paper and pat with your hands into a log, then pull the parchment up around the log and, using the parchment to help contain the dough, press it firmly against your work surface, rotating and squaring off edges until you have a long 1"-thick rectangle. Wrap parchment-wrapped dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill at least 3 hours.
• Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 325°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap dough and let sit at room temperature 10-15 minutes.
• Pulverize raspberries into a fine powder in a food processor or spice mill. Transfer to a plate and mix in sanding sugar.
• Roll dough in raspberry sugar, pressing with your hands to adhere. Using a thin, sharp knife, cut into 1/3"-thick slices, rotating rectangle a quarter turn after each slice to help maintain its shape. Arrange slices on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1/2" apart. Bake cookies, rotating pans top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until opaque and barely golden, 14-16 minutes. Transfer pans to wire racks and let cool.
• Do Ahead:
• Dough can be made 4 days ahead. Keep chilled. Cookies can be made 1 week ahead. Store in an airtight container at room

LEMON-GLAZED PISTACHIO SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and salt.
• Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer with a large bowl, beat the butter and 1 cup of the confectioners' sugar on medium speed until smooth. With the mixer on low speed, gradually mix in the flour mixture until just combined and it holds together when squeezed (it will be slightly crumbly). Stir in the pistachios.
• Gather the dough into a disk. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to a generous 1/4 inch thick. Cut into rounds with a 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter and place 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets, rerolling and cutting the scraps as necessary. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Bake until the edges are set and light golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice until smooth. Place the wire rack over a baking sheet to catch any drips. Dip the tops of the cookies into the glaze and place on the rack. Let set for 15 minutes.

PISTACHIO ORANGE SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 11-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium, beat the butter and sugar until combined and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks and orange zest and beat until combined. Beat in the flour, salt and baking powder. Add the pistachios and beat just until evenly distributed.
• Tip the dough into the prepared pan and press it into an even layer. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Sprinkle the top of the dough with sanding sugar and bake on a rimmed baking sheet until the shortbread is golden brown and set, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the baking sheet holding the tart pan to a rack to cool for a few minutes. While the dough is still warm, remove the pan edges and cut the cookie into wedges. Let cool completely.
• Carefully separate the wedges and set them on a work surface. Drizzle with melted chocolate. Let stand at room temperature until the chocolate has set, about 1 hour.

PISTACHIO SHORTBREAD SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in pistachios., Preheat oven to 300°. On a surface sprinkled with confectioners' sugar, roll dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a 2-1/2-in. fluted round cookie cutter dusted with confectioners' sugar. Place cookies 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until edges begin to brown, 18-20 minutes. Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely., Spread preserves on bottoms of half of the cookies; cover with remaining cookies. If desired, combine confectioners' sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over cookies.

PISTACHIO SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix flour, powdered sugar, and saslt in processor. Add butter, pistachios, egg yolk, and vanilla.
• Using on and off turns, mix until moist ball forms. Transfer dough to work surface. Divide dough in half. Form each half into 8 X 1 1/4" log (if dough is too soft, chill until firm, about 30 minutes). Wrap logs in plastic, refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours. Can be made 5 days ahead, keep chilled.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Slice logs into 1/4" rounds, rolling log every few slices to retain round shape. Place rounds on ungreased baking sheets, spacing 1" apart.
• Bake shortbreads until barely golden, about 18 minutes. Cool shortbread on baking sheets.
• Store in airthight container at room temperature.

PISTACHIO CRANBERRY ICEBOX COOKIES

Steps:

• Make dough:
• Stir together flour, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.
• Beat together butter, granulated sugar, and zest in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 batches, mixing until dough just comes together in clumps, then mix in pistachios and cranberries. Gather and press dough together, then divide into 2 equal pieces. Using a sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper as an aid, form each piece of dough into a log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Square off long sides of each log to form a bar, then chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until very firm, at least 2 hours.
• Slice and bake cookies:
• Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Brush egg over all 4 long sides of bars (but not ends). Sprinkle decorative sugar on a separate sheet of parchment or wax paper and press bars into sugar, coating well.
• Cut each bar crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices, rotating bar after cutting each slice to help keep square shape. (If dough gets too soft to slice, freeze bars briefly until firm.) Arrange cookies about 1/2 inch apart on lined baking sheets.
• Bake cookies, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until edges are pale golden, 15 to 18 minutes total. Transfer cookies from parchment to racks using a slotted spatula and cool completely.

PISTACHIO SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor, grind pistachios until fine but not powdery. Divide ground pistachios equally between sanding sugar and flour; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add vanilla and salt, and beat for 1 minute. Add yolks one at a time, and beat until evenly combined. Add flour and pistachio mixture, and mix until just combined. Remove dough, and form into a 4-by-6-inch rectangle; wrap in plastic, and chill for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with Silpats (French nonstick baking mats) or parchment paper, and set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 1/8-inch thickness. Brush dough with the egg white to moisten. Cover evenly with pistachio-sanding-sugar mixture. Lightly press mixture into dough with the rolling pin. Using a 1 1/2-inch fluted square cookie cutter, cut cookies as close as possible to avoid waste. Place on prepared baking sheets.
• Bake until edges are just lightly golden, about 18 minutes. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.