Almond Butter Shortbread With Grape Glaze Food

SHORTBREAD WEDGE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper leaving enough overhang around the sides to easily lift shortbread out. (Tip: Parchment is used so you can easily remove the shortbread and not cut it while it's in the pan. I like to use a square of parchment and I cut a 1-inch slit in the center of each side. This helps reduce the amount of creases when lined in the pan.)
• Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as necessary. Add the vanilla and salt and beat until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as necessary. Add the flour and cornstarch and beat on low speed for 1 minute as the mixture begins to combine. Turn the mixer up to medium speed and beat for 1-3 minutes or until the dough clumps together. (It will eventually, just keep mixing it.) If you're adding dry add-ins (see above), this is when you'll add them.
• Divide dough in half. If you want to be totally accurate, weigh the halves to make sure they're even. Recipe makes almost 1.5 lbs of plain dough (will weigh more if you added add-ins). Press each half of dough into a prepared cake pan. You want it nice and compact in the pans. Sprinkle with optional coarse sugar. Dock the surface all over with a fork to prevent air bubbles.
• Bake the shortbread for 28-30 minutes or until very lightly browned on top and around the edges.
• Remove from the oven, place pans on a wire rack, and cool shortbread for 10-15 minutes. Carefully remove the shortbread from the pans by picking it up with the parchment paper on the sides. Cut each into 8 large, 12 medium, or 16 small wedges. You want to make sure you cut the shortbread while it's still warm. Enjoy warm or cool shortbread completely on wire racks.
• Cover and store shortbread at room temperature for up to 1 week. If you added a topping such as glaze, icing, buttercream, or melted chocolate, refrigerate after 2 days.

ALMOND SHORTBREADS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Blend and pulse the 1/2 cup nuts in a food processor with the sugar until mixture resembles coarse sand. (If there are a couple small chunks of nuts that is fine.) Add the butter, vanilla and almond extracts, and the salt, and pulse until creamy. Add the flour and continue to pulse to make a soft dough.
• Turn the dough out into a 9-inch tart pan and spread it out evenly with an off-set spatula. Dip the spatula in a little warm water to help smooth and even the surface of the shortbread. Cover and freeze until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Put the tart pan on a baking sheet and dock (prick) the dough all over with a fork. Generously sprinkle the top of the shortbread with sugar. Toss the remaining whole almonds in the egg white; evenly arrange and press the nuts into the dough around the edge of the pan. Bake until golden brown and set, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.
• Cool the short bread in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the tart ring and cut the shortbread with a sharp knife into wedges, each with a nut. Cool shortbreads on a rack completely. (Alternatively present the shortbread as 1 large cookie. Cool the shortbread in the pan completely and remove the tart ring. Cut the shortbread into wedges as desired.) Serve. Store in a tightly sealed container for up to 5 days.

ALMOND BUTTER SHORTBREAD WITH GRAPE GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• In a large mixing bowl combine butter, almond butter, brown sugar, and salt. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Gradually add flour until incorporated.
• On a piece of waxed paper pat dough into an 8x6-inch rectangle; cut into 48 equal pieces (about 1-inch squares). Roll pieces into balls. Place 2 inches apart on a parchment covered cookie sheet. Using a flat bottomed measuring cup dipped in flour, flatten dough balls to 1/4-inch thickness [I used my fingers instead of the cup].
• Bake 12 minutes or until lightly browned and tops of cookies are set. Remove cookie sheet from oven. Stir jam to create a spreadable consistency. Top each cookie with a generous 1/2 tsp jam, spreading jam not quite to edges. Return to oven and bake 2 more minutes.
• While cookies are warm, top with a sprinkle of sea salt, if desired.
• Place cooled cookies in a single layer in an airtight container. Refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Thaw before serving.
• *Note: Can also use natural or regular peanut butter. If you use regular peanut butter the dough will be a bit softer. Cover and chill for 30-60 minutes until firm enough to shape and cut.

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.

RASPBERRY FILLED ALMOND SHORTBREAD WITH ALMOND GLAZE

Steps:

• In a Medium Mixing Bowl (I prefer using a Plastic Bowl that has a lid).
• Cream Butter and Sugar.
• mix in the almond extract.
• Gradually mix in flour until the dough forms a ball.
• Cover and refrigerate for an hour for easier handling.
• Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.
• Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on a ungreased cookie sheet.
• Using a wooden spoon handle make and indention in the middle of the ball.
• (I like using the knuckle on my first finger).
• Fill with the raspberry jam.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 14-18 minutes depending on your oven.
• Add aditional Raspberry jam if desired (I never do this).
• Remove and place on wire racks for cooling.
• Mix the Glaze ingredients.
• Using a butter knife (dipping it in the glaze Mixture) Letting the glaze run off the butter knife, Zig Zag the mixture across the cookies creating a continuing Z.