Vanilla Bean Shortbread Food

VANILLA BEAN SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, cornstarch, and salt in a large bowl; stir with a whisk.
• Place butter in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add oil; beat with a mixer at medium speed 3 minutes or until well blended. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean, and add seeds to butter mixture; discard bean. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Spoon dough into prepared pan. Place a sheet of heavy-duty plastic wrap over dough; press to an even thickness. Discard wrap. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool in pan 5 minutes on a wire rack; cut into 32 pieces (mine are much bigger--try 12 pieces!) Carefully lift foil from pan; cool squares completely on a wire rack.

VANILLA BEAN SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Scrape the insides from one inch of a vanilla bean into a large mixing bowl. In same bowl, cream butter with sugar and vanilla until smooth.
• Add flour and ground almonds and beat until mixture is well combined.
• On a floured surface roll out dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch rounds and place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet. Press 1 almond into center of each cookie and bake about 20 minutes, or until very lightly colored. Remove to rack and cool.