heart21Today for Test Kitchen Tuesday I decided to try a shortbread cookie.  This recipe comes  from www.Joyofbaking.com  Originally I wanted to try the Linzer cookies but since I had no almonds I settled on these.  I used 2 heart shaped cookie cutters to achieve the shape.   I filled the cookies with strawberry jam and dusted it with confectioners sugar.  The result was a buttery, flaky, delicious and not too sweet cookie.  This recipe was a success, I will be making this again.  This cookie will be great for entertaining, your guests will be both pleased and impressed.

 

Shortbreads with Strawberry

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup powdered (confectioners or icing) sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4-1/2 cup strawberry preserves

 

Whisk flour and salt together, set aside. In a separate bowl cream butter with a mixer for about 1 minute.  Add sugar and beat until smooth for about 2 minutes.  Beat in vanilla extract.  Gently fold in flour until incorporated.  Flatten into a disk, wrap with cling wrap and chill for at least an hour.

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  On a lightly floured surface roll out dough to about 1/4 inch thick.  Using a 2 to 3 inch heart shaped cookie cutter cut out the cookies.  Place the cookies about 1 inch apart on the baking sheet.  Using a smaller cutter (3/4-1 inch) cut out the centers of half of the cookies.  Place the unbaked cookies on the sheet in the refridgerator for about 15 minutes.  This will firm up the dough so the cookies can maintain the shape when baked.  Bake for 10 mins or until the cookies are lightly browned.  Cool on a rack.

 

Heat preserves in microwave for 15 seconds.  Dust the cut-out cookies with confectioner sugar.  Spread about 1/4 tsp of jam on the bottom surface of the full cookie.      Place cut-out cookie on top of  and gently sandwich together.  With a spoon fill the cut out with a little more jam.  Enjoy!

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