Macadamia Nut Cranberry Shortbread Food

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.

MACADAMIA SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Put the macadamia nuts and sugar in a food processor and pulse until they reach the texture of fine crumbs.
• Then add the vanilla extract and butter, and pulse again until smooth.
• Add 4.4 ounces of the flour, and pulse until just combined.
• Remove and knead in as much of the remaining flour as you need to create a smooth dough.
• Roll the dough in plastic wrap, to form a log approximately 20cm in length, then refrigerate for half an hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Take the dough log from the fridge, cut into 0.5cm-thick slices.
• Push a few extra macadamia pieces into each biscuit, then remove the plastic wrap.
• Place on a baking sheet and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for eight to nine minutes, until just set.
• Cool the biscuits on a tray, then transfer them to a wire rack.
• Store in an airtight container.