Pecan Sables Food

PECAN SABLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Pulse toasted pecans with 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar in a food processor until finely ground. Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl.
• Beat together butter, remaining 2/3 cup confectioners sugar, and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolk and beat well. Add flour and ground-pecan mixture and mix at low speed until just combined, 30 seconds to 1 minute. (Dough will be crumbly but will hold together when squeezed.)
• Halve dough and roll out 1 half between 2 sheets of wax paper until 1/4 inch thick (about a 9-inch round). Cut out as many rounds as possible with cookie cutter and arrange about 2 inches apart on buttered large baking sheets, reserving scraps. Roll out and cut remaining dough in same manner. Gather scraps, then reroll and cut in same manner.
• Beat egg white until frothy, then brush tops of rounds lightly with egg white. Put a pecan half on top of each round, then brush pecan lightly with egg white.
• Bake cookies in middle of oven until tops are pale golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool cookies on sheets on racks 2 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

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.

PECAN SABLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Pulse toasted pecans with 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar in a food processor until finely ground.
• Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl.
• Beat together butter, remaining 2/3 cup confectioners sugar, and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Add egg yolk and beat well.
• Add flour and ground-pecan mixture and mix at low speed until just combined, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• (Dough will be crumbly but will hold together when squeezed.) Halve dough and roll out 1 half between 2 sheets of wax paper until 1/4 inch thick (about a 9-inch round).
• Cut out as many rounds as possible with cookie cutter and arrange about 2 inches apart on buttered large baking sheets, reserving scraps.
• Roll out and cut remaining dough in same manner.
• Gather scraps, then reroll and cut in same manner.
• Beat egg white until frothy, then brush tops of rounds lightly with egg white.
• Put a pecan half on top of each round, then brush pecan lightly with egg white.
• Bake cookies in middle of oven until tops are pale golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Cool cookies on sheets on racks 2 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.