Tuesday, July 29, 2008

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.

7 comments:

  1. Hi Pook,
    Mmmmmmm, I love shortbreads ! This recipe looks great, it has all my favourite stuff in it, especially the dried apricots ! Oh, just wen through your wonderful cookbooks collection & hey I have the 100 Great Breads too, I've tried the rich Chocolate & Sour Cherry Bread, yummy but it was tough kneading the cherries in !

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi, Ganache ganache
    I'm so happy that you like this recipe.

    100 Great Breads is a good book, but I didn't try the recipe you suggest yet.

    I will try it and let you know. ^ ^

    Pook

    ReplyDelete
  3. I haven't made shortbread before. This looks pretty and yummy. Will try it out soon, too.
    Btw, thanks for stopping by my place :)
    Love your place very much!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ummmm, my all time favorite cookie. Good thing I was not there when you just took them out the oven.. I would grab a handful of it and ran away..

    One of my friend's girlfriend baked the most delicious peanut butter pecan shortbread. I hate her because she toy with me when I ask for recipe !! :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Pook!Iwould love to try this recipe, it looks really delicious! I would like to ask you though, is it okay to use a plastic cookie cutter after baking the short bread? Or should I cut the cookies first before baking? Thank you! ^_^

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Erin
    Don't cut the cookie before baking, it won't hold the shape, because it has a lot of butter.

    The plastic cookie cutter will do the job if it's strong and sharp because you have to cut into the dried fruit too.

    Pook

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Pook,
    Thanks for answering my question! Take care!

    Erin

    ReplyDelete

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