Monday, December 1, 2014

Almond Shortbread


 Here's a quick and easy dessert that is extremely easy to make and is HUGE on flavor. I made thiese for a family event a while ago and everyone LOVED them! The recipe is actually Trisha Yearwood's Skillet Almond Shortbread, but I decided change the amounts in order to make them in a 9x13 pan and cut them into squares, instead of doing them in a skillet and slicing it like a pie. Worked perfectly! They're soft and chewy, and just the thing for a party or just to have with a cup of tea. Add these to your dessert tray for your next holiday gathering, and I bet you there won't be any left before long! And one other thing, I know I always say how great each recipe is, but seriously, this is one of the BEST recipes I've tried in quite a long time and will now be the standard against which all other shortbreads will be compared. It's just that good. DEFINITELY give it a try!

Parchment paper
nonstick cooking spray

2 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 1/4 sticks butter, melted (1 cup plus 3 tbs)
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
3/4 cup sliced almonds with skins

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
Spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray. 
Line the pan with parchment paper with enough extra to hang over the sides.
Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray.
Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, stir 2 1/4 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 almond extract and stir well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Top with sliced almonds and the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until slightly brown on top, about 35 minutes. Cool completely. Use the parchment paper as a sling to lift the shortbread from the pan in one piece. Cut into squares.

Tips:
I always use this parchment paper method any time I ever make any kind of bars or squares in a 9x13 pan. It makes it easier to remove from the pan, it saves your pan from damage caused by your knives, and it also allows you to make nice even perfect cuts instead of trying to hack away at it inside the pan.
Normally when I use a 9x13 pan, I would cut it into 24 squares. but I wanted them to be more like little cookies, so I decided to cut it into 32.


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