Dried Apricot Shortbread Heart: A gift for friend

You may find I have too many shortbread recipes, I admit, many recipe and many variations. But I love this kind of cookie, it’s easy, fragrance and yes it’s delicious. I make this recipe for my friend who so kind, she sent me a large pack of vanilla bean, and that’s why I put the vanilla bean into this recipe. The original recipe is called for cranberry but any dried fruit can be use, only cut them into tiny size. I love a little tangy taste, lovely smell of the apricot, and it goes well with the vanilla. Again this recipe comes from:...................and the result is great. This book is a large collection of cookie recipes; they are in Martha Stewart's official website too, but I find reading the book is better for my eye than the screen.

Dried Apricot Shortbread Heart

Makes about 12 pieces

1 cup (2 sticks)	unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup	sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon	pure vanilla extract
2 cups	sifted all-purpose flour
	bean from ½ of Vanilla pod
½ teaspoon	coarse salt
½ cup	finely chopped dried apricot

1. Preheat oven to 325°F with rack in center. Put butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, flour, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir together with a wooden spoon until combined but not too creamy (I beat with the paddle). Stir in dried apricot.

2. Press dough evenly into an 8-inch square baking pan. Bake until firm and pale golden, about

30 minutes (-you may need to cover the tin with foil after baking for 20 minutes-). Let cool on a wire rack, about 20 minutes.

3. Run a knife around edges; remove shortbread and transfer, right side up, to a work surface. Cut out hearts with a 2-inch heart- shape cookie cutter. Trim any stray bits of apricot from edges with a paring knife. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.