Cashew Lemon Shortbread Cookies Recipes

CASHEW-LEMON SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Place cashews in food processor; process until finely ground. Add butter, sugar, lemon extract and vanilla; process until well blended. Add flour; process using on/of pulses until dough is well blended and forms ball.
• Shape dough in 1 1/2-inch balls; roll in additional sugar. Place about 2-inches apart on ungreased baking sheet; flatten slightly with bottom of glass dipped in sugar.
• Bake 18 minutes or just until set and edges are slightly browned. Remove cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

LEMON BARS WITH BROWN-BUTTER SHORTBREAD CRUST

Steps:

• Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan; line baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 3-inch overhang on all sides.
• Make the crust: In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat until barely browned in color. Remove pan from heat and pour butter into the bowl of an electric mixer, leaving any burned sediment behind. Transfer butter to refrigerator until solidified. When solidified, remove from refrigerator and let soften slightly.
• Transfer bowl to electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat until butter is smooth. Sift flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt into bowl; mix on low speed until combined.
• Transfer dough to prepared pan and press evenly into bottom of the pan using the back of a measuring cup; it should be about 1/4 inch thick. Transfer to refrigerator; chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Transfer baking pan to oven and bake until crust is golden brown, about 20 minutes. If crust appears to be browning unevenly, rotate pan.
• Make the filling: Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and sugar. Add lemon juice and zest; whisk to dissolve granulated sugar. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and whisk until well combined.
• When the crust is golden brown, pull out oven rack and evenly pour filling mixture directly over hot crust (if crust has finished baking before filling has been made, return crust to oven for a few minutes so that it is hot). If air bubbles appear on the surface, remove them using a kitchen torch held 4 to 5 inches from the surface, moving in a slow even motion. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees and bake until center is set, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Remove baking pan from oven and transfer to a wire rack. Let lemon bars cool completely before covering and transferring to refrigerator until chilled.
• Using a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry, cut lemon bars into twenty-four 2-inch squares and dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving, if desired.

CASHEW SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• In a large bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, and sugar; beat at high speed for appx 3 minutes with electric mixer.
• Stir in cashews.
• Sift flour, salt, & baking powder directly into the bowl.
• Use your hands to mix the dough as quickly and efficiently as possible; form into a rough ball.
• Lightly flour a clean, dry work surface; add dough and roll out to appx 1/4" thick.
• Cut into simple shapes and place them on ungreased cookie sheet. (I cut them into diamonds, similar to bakalava -- didn't want to over-work the dough by re-rolling).
• Bake in center of oven for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom.
• Cool for at least 10 minutes before eating.