Almond Shortbread

Day 6, Blogging Marathon, Another Fool-proof recipe from Joy of Baking. Instead of baking them as cookies, the recipe calls for baking it in a tart-pan, it came out very good. 

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup white sugar (i used powdered, granulated would also be fine)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup All-purpose flour
1/3 cup almond flour (meal)
2 tbsp corn flour
1/8 tsp salt
Flaked almonds for decorating the top of the shortbread (optional)

Method

• Preheat oven to 150C.  Have ready a 8 inch (20 cm) tart pan with a removable bottom. 
• Beat the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract. In a separate bowl whisk together the flours (all purpose, almond, and Corn Flour) and salt. 
• Add this mixture to the butter and sugar mixture and beat just until incorporated.
• Press the shortbread dough evenly into the tart pan.  Prick the surface of the shortbread with a fork to prevent the shortbread from puffing up. 
•  Using a sharp knife, make shallow lines the top of the shortbread into 12 even pieces.   

• Gently press the flaked almonds in a decorative pattern on the top of the shortbread.
• Place in preheated oven and bake until it is nicely browned (biscuit color), about 45 - 55 minutes.  
• Transfer shortbread to rack and cool for five minutes before removing from tart pan. Place the shortbread round on a cutting board and cut into 12 wedges (along the lines scored).  Cool completely on a wire rack.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#14