Almond Shortbread Cookies

Total Time: 1 hr 35 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 15 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup almond meal
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• sliced almonds, for decorating the top of the shortbread (optional)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 300 degrees f.
• 2 have ready a 6 inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
• 3 in the bowl of your electric mixer cream the butter and sugar until smooth.
• 4 beat in the vanilla extract.
• 5 in another bowl whisk together the flour, cornstarch, almond meal and salt. add this mixture to the butter and sugar mixture and beat just until incorporated.
• 6 press the shortbread dough evenly into the tart pan.
• 7 prick the surface of the shortbread with a fork to prevent the shortbread from puffing up.
• 8 using a sharp knife, score the top of the shortbread into 8 even pieces.
• 9 gently press the flaked almonds in a decorative pattern on the top of the shortbread.
• 10 place in preheated oven and bake until it is nicely browned, roughly one hour 15 minutes. transfer shortbread to rack and cool for five minutes before removing from tart pan.
• 11 place the shortbread round on a cutting board and cut along the score lines into 8 wedges.
• 12 cool completely on a wire rack.