Try this classic recipe for English Shortbread with Pecans this holiday season. Perfect for an shared afternoon tea with a friend or loved one. Not too sweet, with the perfect amount of nuttiness from the pecans, plus hints of vanilla and orange. So good.
Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Spray shortbread pan with cooking spray, such as Baker's Joy. Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Prepare the Ingredients
Zest an orange so that you have 2 teaspoons of zest.
Using a nut chopper or knife, chop the pecans.
Make the Shortbread
In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter for 1-2 minutes. On low speed, gradually beat in the powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Add orange zest, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
Mix in the flour and chopped pecans just until incorporated. Do not overmix.
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead by hand 6-8 times until the dough is easy to work with.
Using your fingers, press the dough into the prepared shortbread pan so that the dough reaches all edges. I then like to use a small Pastry Roller to go over the top of the dough until it is smooth and even. This also ensures that the pattern will be nicely imprinted on the bottom.
Poke the top surface with a fork or Roller Docker to allow steam to escape and help prevent bubbles from forming.
Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, until lightly browned along the edges.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Then loosen the edges with a plastic knife and turn out onto a cutting board or flat tray. Carefully slice pieces while warm with a sharp knife, and then allow to completely cool on a wire rack. Serves 8.
Notes
*Unless otherwise indicated, all butter used on this recipe site is salted.