Almond Streusel Shortbread Recipes

ALMOND SHORTBREAD I

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat butter with 1/2 cup sugar and almond extract until light and fluffy. With a wooden spoon, stir in flour until smooth and well combined. Divide dough into 2 parts. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• On lightly sugared surface, roll out dough, one part at a time, about 1/2-inch thick. Cut out cookies with a 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter. Place on ungreased cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Make an indentation in the center of each cookie with the end of a wooden spoon.
• Bake in preheated oven until cookies are light golden brown around the edges, 25 to 30 minutes. While still warm, roll in sugar. Cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an air-tight container.

SHORTBREAD WEDGE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper leaving enough overhang around the sides to easily lift shortbread out. (Tip: Parchment is used so you can easily remove the shortbread and not cut it while it's in the pan. I like to use a square of parchment and I cut a 1-inch slit in the center of each side. This helps reduce the amount of creases when lined in the pan.)
• Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as necessary. Add the vanilla and salt and beat until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as necessary. Add the flour and cornstarch and beat on low speed for 1 minute as the mixture begins to combine. Turn the mixer up to medium speed and beat for 1-3 minutes or until the dough clumps together. (It will eventually, just keep mixing it.) If you're adding dry add-ins (see above), this is when you'll add them.
• Divide dough in half. If you want to be totally accurate, weigh the halves to make sure they're even. Recipe makes almost 1.5 lbs of plain dough (will weigh more if you added add-ins). Press each half of dough into a prepared cake pan. You want it nice and compact in the pans. Sprinkle with optional coarse sugar. Dock the surface all over with a fork to prevent air bubbles.
• Bake the shortbread for 28-30 minutes or until very lightly browned on top and around the edges.
• Remove from the oven, place pans on a wire rack, and cool shortbread for 10-15 minutes. Carefully remove the shortbread from the pans by picking it up with the parchment paper on the sides. Cut each into 8 large, 12 medium, or 16 small wedges. You want to make sure you cut the shortbread while it's still warm. Enjoy warm or cool shortbread completely on wire racks.
• Cover and store shortbread at room temperature for up to 1 week. If you added a topping such as glaze, icing, buttercream, or melted chocolate, refrigerate after 2 days.

ALMOND SHORTBREADS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Blend and pulse the 1/2 cup nuts in a food processor with the sugar until mixture resembles coarse sand. (If there are a couple small chunks of nuts that is fine.) Add the butter, vanilla and almond extracts, and the salt, and pulse until creamy. Add the flour and continue to pulse to make a soft dough.
• Turn the dough out into a 9-inch tart pan and spread it out evenly with an off-set spatula. Dip the spatula in a little warm water to help smooth and even the surface of the shortbread. Cover and freeze until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Put the tart pan on a baking sheet and dock (prick) the dough all over with a fork. Generously sprinkle the top of the shortbread with sugar. Toss the remaining whole almonds in the egg white; evenly arrange and press the nuts into the dough around the edge of the pan. Bake until golden brown and set, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.
• Cool the short bread in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the tart ring and cut the shortbread with a sharp knife into wedges, each with a nut. Cool shortbreads on a rack completely. (Alternatively present the shortbread as 1 large cookie. Cool the shortbread in the pan completely and remove the tart ring. Cut the shortbread into wedges as desired.) Serve. Store in a tightly sealed container for up to 5 days.

VEGAN AND GLUTEN-FREE FRUIT AND ALMOND SHORTBREAD BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease an 8-inch or 9-inch square pan.
• With a hand or stand mixer, beat the vegan butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and almond extracts.
• In a medium bowl, mix the flours, starch, and salt.
• Add the dry ingredients to the "butter" mixture and mix until just incorporated.
• Press two-thirds of the dough into the pan and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the crust is pale light brown. Remove it from the oven.
• When the pan has cooled enough to handle, spread the preserves evenly over the crust.
• Break the remaining dough into little tiny pieces and drop them evenly over the jam. Top with the almonds.
• Bake for another 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is a nice golden brown.
• Cut into bars and serve immediately, while still warm, or store them in the refrigerator.

SKILLET ALMOND SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with aluminum foil and spray the foil with cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, stir 1 1/2 cups of the sugar into the melted butter. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Sift the flour and salt onto the batter. Add the flavoring and stir well. Pour the batter into the skillet. Top with sliced almonds and the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until slightly brown on top, about 35 minutes. Cool the shortbread in the skillet. When cool, use the foil to lift the shortbread from the skillet; remove the foil before serving.

ALMOND SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 180C (Gas Mark 4)
• Mix Flour and Caster Sugar in a bowl
• Rub in the Butter/Margarine until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.
• Add the Ground Almond
• Press mixture into a baking tray
• Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until firm to the touch and very lightly brown
• Cool in the tin

ALMOND SHORTBREAD II

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and confectioners' sugar until very light. Gradually add the cornstarch, all purpose flour and nutmeg. Stir until well blended. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for a few turns. Divide the mixture into 2 parts. Roll each part into a roll about 6 inches (15 cm) long. Wrap the rolls in plastic wrap or wax paper, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. These can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
• Unwrap the rolls and slice into 1/2 inch thick slices. Place onto the prepared cookie sheets. Gently press an almond onto the top of each cookie.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven. When cookies are cooled, store in an airtight tin to preserve crispness.

RHUBARB & ALMOND CRUMBLE TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface, then line a 23cm tart tin with it. Chill in the fridge.
• Tip the rhubarb into a roasting tray with the sugar and juice, then toss together. Cover with foil, then bake for 30-40 mins. Tip into a sieve over a bowl, then reserve the syrup. While the rhubarb is cooking, press a sheet of baking paper into the tart case, tip in baking beans, then bake for 20 mins. Remove beans and paper, then bake for 10 mins more.
• Rub the topping ingredients, except the almonds, together until crumbly. When the case is cooked, lower oven to 180C/ fan 160C/gas 4. Spoon the rhubarb evenly over the case and crumble over the topping. Scatter with almonds, then bake for 20 mins. Leave the tart until just warm, then turn out and serve with the rhubarb syrup and some crème fraîche.

ALMOND STREUSEL SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• STREUSEL: Combine the brown sugar, flour, wheat germ, and cinnamon in a bowl.
• Cut in the butter to form crumbs.
• Add sliced almonds; cut in until evenly distributed.
• SHORTBREAD: Cream the butter and brown sugar until creamy.
• Add almond extract; blend well.
• In a small bowl, combine the flour, wheat germ, and almonds; add to butter mixture in two parts.
• Mix well.
• Divide dough in half; pat each half into an 8" circle on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Spoon the steusel over the shortbread, pressing it in with your fingers.
• Cut each circle into 12 wedges; separate them slightly.
• Bake 18-20 minutes, or until lightly browned.
• Cool for 3 minutes on the cookie sheets; remove cookies to wire racks and cool completely.