Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread Food

CRANBERRY PISTACHIO SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy.
• With the mixer on low speed mix in the flour, salt and orange zest until just combined. The dough will be thick.
• Stir in the chopped cranberries and pistachios.
• Place a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper on the counter. Take 1/2 of the dough, place it on the sheet of wax paper and form it into a log shape about 1 to 1 1/2 inch (2-3 cm) in diameter. Roll up the log in wax paper and twist the ends. Really think of packing the log tightly as you form the log.
• Repeat the process with the 2nd half of the dough, so you end up with 2 logs.
• Place the logs in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or up to 3 days. Logs can be frozen for up to 2 months in a freezer container, then thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325F (16FC) and line cookie sheets with parchment paper or baking mats.
• Take 1 log out of the fridge at a time, unwrap the log and slice into cookies about 1/4 - 1/3 inch thick (about 0.5 cm).
• Place cookies 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet and bake for 14-17 minutes, or until the tops looks set and around the edges are starting to turn golden brown.

CRANBERRY PISTACHIO SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl whisk the flour with the salt and cinnamon.
• In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter until smooth (about 1 - 2 minutes). Add the sugar and beat until smooth and creamy (about 3 minutes). Beat in the zest and vanilla extract. Gently stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated. Fold in the chopped pistachios and dried cranberries. (Make sure that the nuts and cranberries are evenly distributed throughout the dough.).
• Divide the dough in half. Place each half of dough on the center of a 14 inch (35 cm) length of parchment or wax paper (plastic wrap will work too). Smooth and shape the dough into an evenly shaped rectangle that is about 10 inches (25 cm) long and 2 inches (5 cm) wide. Then thoroughly wrap the shaped logs in the parchment or wax paper, twists the ends of the paper to seal the logs, and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours, or up to three days. (The logs can also be frozen for about two months. If freezing, it is best to defrost the logs in the refrigerator overnight before slicing and baking.).
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) with the rack in the center of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Using a thin bladed knife, slice the logs into ¼ to ½ inch (.5 to 1 cm) thick cookies. If dough is too hard to slice you may need to let the log set our for 5 minutes. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
• Bake for about 15 - 18 minutes, or until the cookies are just beginning to brown around the edges. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Check at 12 minutes - the type of pan you use can really make a big difference in cooking time.
• Note. The original recipe calls for unsalted butter, I prefer my shortbread with salted butter, so try it either way.

CRANBERRY PISTACHIO SHORTBREAD COOKIES - THE DANCING DEER BAKERY

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the flour and salt and stir together with a fork until blended. Set aside.
• Using an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar, and beat until just blended, 1-2 minutes. Add the egg and beat until blended about 1 minute more.
• Add the flour mixture, and on low-speed, beat until the mixture just begins to form a sticky dough, about 1 minute more. Turn out onto a floured surface, and gently pat together to form a dense ball of dough. Add cranberries and pistachios and knead gently until evenly combined, and shape into a flat round disk. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.
• Position rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325°F.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll cookies out to about 1/8 " thick, and cut to desired shape. Transfer to a heavy - duty cookie sheet and bake until just golden around the edges, 15-18 minutes.

PISTACHIO & CRANBERRY COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix the butter, sugar and vanilla extract with a wooden spoon. stir in the flour, then tip in the pistachios and cranberries - you might need to get your hands in at this stage to bring the mix together as a dough. Halve the dough and shape each half into a log about 5cm across. Wrap in cling film, then chill for 1 hr or freeze for up to 3 months.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. slice the logs into 1cm-thick rounds, place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment and bake for 12-15 mins. Cool completely on the tray.

CRANBERRY LIME PISTACHIO SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Using a mixer, cream margarine and sugar. Add flour till dough forms.
• Stir in cranberries, pistachios, zest, and juice.
• Let dough rest in fridge for a few minutes. To form cookies, roll 1 tablespoons dough into a ball, then flatten. Place on cookie sheet.
• Bake cookies for 11 minutes or till the bottoms are just turning golden and the tops look dry-ish. Cool on wire racks.

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:

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