Vanilla Pecan Sand Castle Recipes

YELLOW BUTTER CAKE FOR VANILLA-PECAN SAND CASTLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square cake pan. Line bottom with parchment paper; butter parchment. Dust pan with flour, and tap out excess. Sift cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
• Add eggs, milk, and vanilla to flour mixture. Mix on low speed until almost combined. Mix in the melted butter. Raise speed to medium. Mix until smooth, about 30 seconds.
• Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until a cake tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Run a knife around edges to loosen. Invert, and unmold onto wire rack. Peel off parchment. Flip cake; let cool completely. If using cake for the Vanilla-Pecan Sand Castle, wrap cake in plastic, and refrigerate until cold, up to 2 days (or freeze up to 1 week).

SANDBAKKELSE (SAND TARTS)

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add egg and extracts. Blend in flour. Cover and chill for 1-2 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 375°. Using ungreased sandbakkelse molds, press 1 tablespoon dough into each mold. Bake cookies in molds until they appear set and just begin to brown around the edges, 10-12 minutes. Cool cookies for 2-3 minutes in molds. When cool to the touch, remove from molds. To remove more easily, gently tap with a knife and carefully squeeze the sides of the mold.

PECAN SANDIES COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add water and vanilla; mix well. Gradually add flour; fold in pecans. , Roll dough into 1-in. balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets and flatten with fingers. , Bake 20-25 minutes or until bottom edges are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. When cool, dust with confectioners' sugar.

BEST PECAN SANDIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spread pecans out on a baking sheet.
• Bake pecans in the preheated oven until fragrant and lightly toasted, 5 to 10 minutes. Cool completely and chop in a food processor.
• Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy; beat in egg yolk, vanilla extract, and salt. Slowly mix pecans into butter mixture. Stir flour into pecan mixture until dough begins to come together.
• Roll the dough into a ball and divide it in half. Roll each dough half into a 1 1/2-inch thick log. Wrap each log in wax paper and refrigerate, 4 hours to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Unwrap dough logs and cut into 1/3-inch thick slices. Transfer slices to the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes.