Best Pistachio Lemon And Vanilla Shortbread Recipe Epicuriouscom Recipes

PISTACHIO-ROSE SHORTBREAD SQUARES

Steps:

• Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
• Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat powdered sugar and butter in a large bowl until aerated and pale, about 3 minutes. (Alternatively, use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.) Scrape down sides of bowl, then beat 2 minutes more. Reduce mixer speed to medium, add egg, and beat until well incorporated. Add tea, lemon zest, and vanilla and beat, scraping down sides of bowl, until combined, about 30 seconds more.
• Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in dry ingredients, followed by pistachios. Stir dough a few times with a spatula, making sure to get to bottom of bowl.
• Turn out dough onto a clean work surface and divide into quarters. Working one quarter at a time, place dough on a sheet of parchment paper and pat with your hands into a log, then pull the parchment up around the log and, using the parchment to help contain the dough, press it firmly against your work surface, rotating and squaring off edges until you have a long 1"-thick rectangle. Wrap parchment-wrapped dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill at least 3 hours.
• Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 325°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap dough and let sit at room temperature 10-15 minutes.
• Pulverize raspberries into a fine powder in a food processor or spice mill. Transfer to a plate and mix in sanding sugar.
• Roll dough in raspberry sugar, pressing with your hands to adhere. Using a thin, sharp knife, cut into 1/3"-thick slices, rotating rectangle a quarter turn after each slice to help maintain its shape. Arrange slices on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1/2" apart. Bake cookies, rotating pans top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until opaque and barely golden, 14-16 minutes. Transfer pans to wire racks and let cool.
• Do Ahead:
• Dough can be made 4 days ahead. Keep chilled. Cookies can be made 1 week ahead. Store in an airtight container at room

PISTACHIO SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Mix flour, powdered sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter, pistachios, egg yolk, and vanilla. Using on/off turns, mix until moist ball forms. Transfer dough to work surface. Divide dough in half. Form each dough half into 8 x 1 1/4-inch log (if dough is too soft, chill until firm, about 30 minutes). Wrap logs in plastic; refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 5 days ahead; keep chilled.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Slice logs into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, rolling log after every few slices to retain round shape. Place rounds on ungreased baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake shortbread until barely golden, about 18 minutes. Cool shortbread on baking sheets. DO AHEAD Shortbread can be made up to 4 days ahead. Store shortbread in airtight container at room temperature.

THE BEST SHORTBREAD COOKIES FOUR WAYS

Steps:

• All of the shortbreads are made in the same manner using an electric mixer. If you're making a shortbread with two kinds of flour, whisk the flours together.
• Working in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter, confectioners' sugar, salt and zest, if using, together on medium speed until soft, creamy and homogenous, scraping the bowl as needed. One by one, beat in the yolks, followed by the vanilla.
• Turn off the mixer, add the flour(s) all at once and mix on low speed only until incorporated. If you've got wheat germ, chocolate or flax seeds or nuts, mix in now.
• Scrape the dough out onto the work surface and divide it in two; the dough will be soft and sticky. Put each piece on a sheet of parchment and cajole it into a log that's 6 to 6 1⁄2 inches long, tightening the log with the paper and twisting the ends. Refrigerate the logs for at least 3 hours (overnight is better) or freeze them for 2 hours. (The logs can be frozen for up 2 months; slice when they're still frozen. You might need to add a minute to the oven time.)
• When you're ready to bake: Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.
• Using a chef's knife, cut each log into 1⁄2-inch-thick rounds. Lay them out on the baking sheet, leaving about an inch between them.
• Bake, rotating the cookie sheet after 10 minutes, for 21 to 23 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown around the edges and set. The cookies will still be soft, so leave them on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack and allowing them to cool to room temperature. DO AHEAD: The cookies can be packed in an airtight container and kept at room temperature for at least 5 days.

LEMON-PISTACHIO TART

Steps:

• for crust:
• Combine flour and salt in processor. Add butter; cut in, using on/off turns, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg yolk and 3 tablespoons ice water. Process until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill 30 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.)
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Fold in overhang and press, forming high-standing rim. Pierce all over with fork. Cover and freeze 20 minutes.
• Bake crust until deep golden, about 40 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool.
• for filling:
• Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 1 cup sugar and next 5 ingredients. Cook until mixture thickens, whisking constantly, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and whisk 2 minutes longer. Pour hot filling into crust. Chill uncovered until filling is set, about 2 hours.
• Line small baking sheet with foil. Stir 2 tablespoons sugar and 4 teaspoons water in heavy small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil without stirring until pale golden, about 6 minutes. Add pistachios and stir to coat. Spread pistachios in single layer on prepared sheet. Cool completely. Coarsely chop pistachios. (Tart and pistachios can be made 1 day ahead. Cover tart; keep chilled. Store pistachios airtight at room temperature. Let tart stand at room temperature 20 minutes before serving.
• Sprinkle pistachios in 2-inch border around edge of tart. Cut tart into wedges.

LEMON-GLAZED PISTACHIO SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and salt.
• Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer with a large bowl, beat the butter and 1 cup of the confectioners' sugar on medium speed until smooth. With the mixer on low speed, gradually mix in the flour mixture until just combined and it holds together when squeezed (it will be slightly crumbly). Stir in the pistachios.
• Gather the dough into a disk. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to a generous 1/4 inch thick. Cut into rounds with a 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter and place 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets, rerolling and cutting the scraps as necessary. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Bake until the edges are set and light golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice until smooth. Place the wire rack over a baking sheet to catch any drips. Dip the tops of the cookies into the glaze and place on the rack. Let set for 15 minutes.