Ginger Almond Shortbread Cookies Recipes

GINGERED SESAME-ALMOND SHORTBREAD BARK

Steps:

• Brush bottom and sides of a 10-by-15-inch baking pan with softened butter. Line pan with parchment, with a 2-inch overhang on each long side, then brush parchment with more butter. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Place flour, ginger, salt, baking powder, and 1/2 cup sugar in a food processor; pulse to combine. Add cold butter and pulse until dough just comes together. Scatter evenly in pan, then press firmly to flatten. Brush dough with egg white to moisten, then scatter with almonds, sesame seeds, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in alternating even layers.
• Bake until golden, about 35 minutes. Transfer bark on parchment to a cutting board. Immediately cut into 24 pieces (4 strips on short side, 6 on long side), then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Bark can be made 3 days ahead and stored at room temperature.

GINGER-ALMOND SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

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

GINGER SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter and 1 cup of sugar on medium-low speed, just until they are combined. (Don¿t whip!) Add the vanilla and 2 teaspoons water and mix until combined. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until the dough starts to come together. Add the ginger, then dump onto a surface generously dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
• Roll the dough 3/8 inch thick and cut circles with a 2 3/4-inch plain round cookie cutter. Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges start to brown.
• Cool to room temperature and serve.

ALMOND SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the beaten egg and extract. Add the flour, ground almonds and lemon zest and mix until the dough comes together.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead into a ball. Divide the dough in half and then roll each half into a log, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour (the dough can be frozen at this point for a later use).
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Remove the dough from the plastic wrap and slice into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Place the cookies onto the prepared baking sheets and bake until golden brown at the edges, about 15 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets for 3 or 4 minutes before transferring to wire cooling racks to cool completely, or just eat warm from the oven.

GINGERED SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Lightly butter a 9 1/2-inch springform pan.
• In a medium bowl, using a hand-held electric mixer at high speed, beat the butter until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light in color and texture, about 2 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour, rice flour, and ground ginger to make a soft dough. Stir in the crystallized ginger. Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Using the tines of a fork, press around the perimeter of the dough. Prick the dough, reaching down to the bottom of the pan, into 12 wedges.
• Bake until lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Cool completely in the pan. Remove the sides of the pan. Cut or break the shortbread into wedges, following the perforations in the dough. (The shortbread can be prepared up to 5 days ahead, stored in an airtight container at room temperature.)