Pecan Nut Shortbread
This is a Jamie Oliver recipe and I have made it many times, it’s a fantastic recipe! You can leave out the nuts or substitute for any other nut. The recipe says you can use cornflour OR semolina, but I generally use cornflour which gives a finer crumb. Semolina is like Mielie Meal in texture so it gives the shortbread a slight gritty texture which to some is also desirable. Both are equally delicious but cornflour (Maizena) is just a bit more readily available.
Ingredients
250g salted Butter, softened
125g Castor Sugar, plus extra for sprinkling on after
2 tsp Vanilla Essence
250g Cake Flour, sifted
125g Cornflour (Maizena) OR Semolina
1 cup Pecans, finely chopped (dont leave them too chunky otherwise it makes cutting the shortbread difficult!)
125g Castor Sugar, plus extra for sprinkling on after
2 tsp Vanilla Essence
250g Cake Flour, sifted
125g Cornflour (Maizena) OR Semolina
1 cup Pecans, finely chopped (dont leave them too chunky otherwise it makes cutting the shortbread difficult!)
Method
1. Pre heat your oven to 150° C
2. Use a 20cm x 20 cm (or close enough!) size baking tin. Spray with non stick spray and or line with baking parchment. I cut out a square of paper to sit in the bottom of my tins whenever I bake to be SUPER sure they won’t ever stick.
3. Using paddle attachment on your stand mixer or hand beater, cream together butter, sugar and vanilla essence.
4. Now gently/slowly mix in both flours and nuts with either a wooden spoon OR the dough hook on your stand mixer. You just want to start it off like this, once the flours and nuts are slightly mixed in you want to turn the whole mix out onto a lightly floured surface and bring it to smooth dough. Do not overwork the dough. As soon as it’s come together and all flours are worked in its done.
5. With your hand flatten out the dough a bit and then press into your baking tin. Using a fork, prick holes into the dough and poke right through to base of tin.
6. Bake for 50mins or until lightly golden. Remove from oven and when it is still warm and in pan sprinkle a thin layer of Castor sugar all over the top. Allow it to cool for 5mins and then cut in portions in the pan. Let it cool for a good 30mins before removing from pan. It can be delicate and break whilst still warm.
7. Brew a cuppa and ENJOY several pieces whilst contemplating life!
2. Use a 20cm x 20 cm (or close enough!) size baking tin. Spray with non stick spray and or line with baking parchment. I cut out a square of paper to sit in the bottom of my tins whenever I bake to be SUPER sure they won’t ever stick.
3. Using paddle attachment on your stand mixer or hand beater, cream together butter, sugar and vanilla essence.
4. Now gently/slowly mix in both flours and nuts with either a wooden spoon OR the dough hook on your stand mixer. You just want to start it off like this, once the flours and nuts are slightly mixed in you want to turn the whole mix out onto a lightly floured surface and bring it to smooth dough. Do not overwork the dough. As soon as it’s come together and all flours are worked in its done.
5. With your hand flatten out the dough a bit and then press into your baking tin. Using a fork, prick holes into the dough and poke right through to base of tin.
6. Bake for 50mins or until lightly golden. Remove from oven and when it is still warm and in pan sprinkle a thin layer of Castor sugar all over the top. Allow it to cool for 5mins and then cut in portions in the pan. Let it cool for a good 30mins before removing from pan. It can be delicate and break whilst still warm.
7. Brew a cuppa and ENJOY several pieces whilst contemplating life!