Maple Pecan Shortbread
From http://inthekitchenwithkath.com
(Adapted from a recipe in The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook)
About 50 cookies (easy to cut in half for a smaller batch)
2 cups flour (240 g.)
1 cup pecan pieces
Pinch salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup maple sugar (or ½ cup dark brown sugar)
1. Put the flour, pecans and salt in a food processor and process until you have a fine blend.
2. Beat the butter and sugar in a mixer it is light and creamy. This takes several minutes, and you’ll probably have to stop the mixer and scrape down the sides a few times.
3. Add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar and mix well.
4. Gather the dough into a ball. Divide it in half. Put each half on a large piece of wax paper and shape into logs. Wrap the logs in the wax paper and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.
(Alternatively, you can shape the dough into two balls, wrap in wax paper and refrigerate. Then roll the dough out until it is about ¼ inch thick and cut it with cookie cutters. Gather up the scraps and reroll and cut more cookies. I prefer slice and bake!)
5. Preheat the oven to 300˚.
6. Slice the dough into ¼ inch thick cookies. Place them on an ungreased cookie sheet. (I have always used insulated cookie sheets with this recipe. I don’t know if it makes any difference.)
7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cookies have lightly colored. (Insulated cookie sheets will increase the baking time a bit. My cookies needed 29 minutes.)
8. Cool the cookies on a wire rack.