Hazelnut Shortbread
makes 16

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup hazelnuts
2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter, left to rest out for about 10 minutes. You want it slightly softer, but not room temp
1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
powdered sugar (optional, for dusting)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Toast the hazelnuts for about 15 minutes.
2. If the hazelnuts have skins, rub them with a kitchen towel until the skins fall away. Allow to cool completely.
3. Grind the hazelnuts with flour in a food processor until fine. Do not overprocess or this will turn to a paste.
4. In a bowl, mash together the butter, sugar, vanilla and salt into a paste. (You can use a pastry cutter a fork a potato masher, or even your hands.)
5. Stir in the the flour and hazelnut mix. 
6. Butter the inside of a fluted 9″ tart pan and press the dough in as evenly as possible.
7. Score the dough into 16 wedges before baking and prick the border with a fork if you’re in the mood for added decoration.
8. Bake in your preheated 350 degree oven until just golden in color, about 25-30 minutes. 
9. Let them cool for 5 minutes, and then slice them where you scored them while they’re still warm. Slicing while they’re warm keeps them from crumbling as much. 
10. Optionally, you can lay them out, and sprinkle them with powdered sugar (place powdered sugar in a fine mesh sieve and shake over the cookies.)


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URL to original: https://www.pastrypal.com/2009/08/hazelnut-shortbread-with-bite/

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