Shortbread Cookies (About Two Dozen)
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2 sticks of softened butter
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a pan with parchment paper.
Combine dry ingredients. Add softened butter and incorporate well with a wooden spoon or by hand. When cohesive but slightly crumbly, turn it out onto the prepared pan and shape the dough gently with your hands into a flat disk or square shape, approximately ¾ inch thick. Cut dough with a sharp knife into bars or wedges but do not separate. Prick dough with a fork. Bake for approximately 45 minutes at 325 degrees, until very lightly golden brown, then turn off the oven and let the cookies remain in the oven until cool. Remove pan and recut cookies along the same cuts made prior to baking, being careful not to crush the edges or break the cookies in half.
Caramel Pecan Tarts (About Two Dozen)
One recipe Shortbread Cookie dough
1 ½ cups chopped, toasted pecans
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
½ cup heavy cream
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
About 48 toasted Pecan halves for garnishing
Preheat oven to 325. Spray with non-stick cooking spray or use paper liners(spray liners as well) to prepare 24 mini muffin cups.
Using a mini-scoop, place shortbread cookie dough in each muffin cup. Suing your fingers, press the dough against the bottoms and up the sides of each cup. When all 24 have been formed, use pie beans to fill each crust (to hold its shape) and bake for 40-50 minutes, until golden. Remove and set on cooling rack to cool. Remove from pan and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, cream and salt over low heat, stirring often to avoid burning. As the caramel comes together, it will start out thin and grainy, but the sugar will melt and the consistency will thicken as it cooks. Once the caramel is thickened, add the vanilla extract and cook it for another minute. Remove from heat. Add the chopped pecans and stir in well.
Fill each shortbread cup with caramel pecan filling. Top each tart with one or two pecan halves, depending on size. Refrigerate until just prior to serving; allow to come to room temperature for about 10 minutes before plating.
Recipes
Christmas Afternoon Tea: Recipes
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