Almond Tipped Shortbread Fingers Recipes

WONDERFUL ALMOND FINGERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
• In a large bowl, cream together unsalted butter and sugar. Beat in the egg and egg yolk one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually stir into the sugar mixture until smoothly blended. Fill a large pastry bag fitted with a 3/4 inch round tip. A large freezer storage bag with one of the corners snipped off will also work.
• Pipe dough into 2 inch long logs using a side to side squiggle motion. Space cookies at least 2 inches apart. Place cookie sheets with cookies into the freezer for a couple of minutes to harden.
• Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
• In the microwave or in a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt chocolate and 2 tablespoons of butter, stirring frequently until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the milk. Dip both ends of the cooled cookies into the chocolate and place them onto waxed paper to set.

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.

ALMOND FINGERS

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar.
• Add flour a little at a time.
• Add ground almonds.
• Form into fingers.
• Place on cookie sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake in a 325 degree oven for about 30 minutes.

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.

RASPBERRY AND ALMOND SHORTBREAD THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, cream together butter and white sugar until smooth. Mix in 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Mix in flour until dough comes together. Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Make a small hole in the center of each ball, using your thumb and finger, and fill the hole with preserves.
• Bake for 14 to 18 minutes in preheated oven, or until lightly browned. Let cool 1 minute on the cookie sheet.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the confectioners' sugar, 3/4 teaspoon almond extract, and milk until smooth. Drizzle lightly over warm cookies.