ALMOND SHORTBREAD

Shortbreads are a quick and easy treat to bake so I make it quite often. Our children love it, we love it and everyone who eats them seem to enjoy them. I usually have a few logs of frozen shortbread dough to bake up at the last minute when we have someone coming over or as an after-school snack. I've baked them with many flavor combinations as well. Today, I am sharing with you a recipe that I discovered recently, an Almond Shortbread...a sweet something special for my blog's 11th birthday!

I chanced upon this recipe in a cookbook called Sweet by Valerie Gordon that I borrowed from our public library during one of our recent visits. It's a very straightforward recipe just like my basic shortbread recipe. It's rich and buttery and crisp! While baking these,make sure you bake them just until they are golden around the edges and firm to the touch. You should be able to lift it up,turn it over and see that the bottom is also golden. If you bake it any further, it ends up being very hard.

If you are a beginner at baking cookies, this would be a good place to start. It's not that cookie baking is rocket science but straightforward recipes like these are hard to go wrong with. Also, please invest in a good, heavy baking sheet. I personally feel lightweight tins don't yield good results. They end up giving your cookie a burnt underside when the top is barely done. Also, lining your cookie sheets always gives you a better results unless the recipe clearly states that you don't have to line it, which is usually in the case of very buttery cookies.

ALMOND SHORTBREAD
 Yields 50 small cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup toasted almond flour *
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Method:
Whisk together both flours and set aside.
In a large bowl using a hand beater, cream the butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add the flours 1/2 cup at a time mixing thoroughly after each addition.Add the salt and vanilla and mix for 30 seconds.
Turn the dough out onto the counter top and divide it into quarters. Roll each piece into a log measuring about 1 inch thick and 6 inches long. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and chill / freeze until needed.
Pre-heat the oven to 350F and line a cookie sheet.
Slice the logs into rounds approximately 1/3 inch thick and place them on a lined sheet, 2 inches apart from each other. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden around the edges. Cook on the tin for 10 mins. Remove carefully and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store in airtight tins.

* To make toasted almond flour : Spread the almond flour on a baking tin and bake at 350F for 6-8 minutes. Cool and use as needed.

These cookies are perfect with a cuppa! They have a slight caramel undertones from the brown sugar that's used in the recipe. Ian is not very fond of nuts in it's direct form but loved these cookies. You can dress these up further by dipping a fork in melted chocolate and drawing some lines over the cookies or simply dip half the cookie into melted chocolate, dark or white! Plain or dressed, these will win your hearts for sure!

#SPREADCHEER WITH BETTY CROCKER

When I was little, I remember getting extremely excited when someone gave us a Betty Crocker's cake mix. There was something so heavenly about those cakes. So fluffy,soft and delicious! My brother and I would go crazy over it and finish the whole cake in a matter of few hours. I think Ritchie still does it! We both enjoy a Betty Crocker  cake even to this day. With all these memories in the back of my mind, I had to agree to do a post with Ian decorating some cookies using a Betty Crocker Cookie Mix. Needless to say, I was very thrilled when folks from Betty Crocker contacted me to do a post using their products!

Oh yes, Betty Crocker is not a real person. I had a difficult time getting used to that when I learnt about it! I really thought 'she' was a genius! So this past Sunday, Ian,Jobin and I spent an afternoon baking and decorating cookies.Ian had the best time! He went crazy with spreading Betty Crocker's Rich & Creamy Vanilla Frosting over the Sugar Cookies that I baked for him using Betty Crocker's readymade mix. Look at that face...that smile is worth a thousand words!

Ian was very excited about the gingerbread man shaped cookies. He would play with it first,then,slowly bite into it's head and stare at it. He would continue doing that till the whole cookie got over. It was really funny to see him do that with wonder in his eyes! Even though I was behind the lens most of the 'cookie decorating' time, I was reliving my childhood through him. Ian thoroughly enjoys being in the kitchen and helping me with my chores. I really see a mini-me in him!

So before this Holiday season is long gone,spread some cheer and decorate cookies with your loved ones!

BUTTERSCOTCH SHORTBREAD

"I love the excitement,the childlike spirit of innocence and just about everything that goes along with Christmas" ~ Hilary Scott

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Christmas is just around the corner and that only means one thing...there will be a lot of baking in our house! This year,I am looking for all the shortcut recipes that I can make ahead of time and store in the freezer so that I can pull them out whenever the time comes.Hefty's freezer bags works perfectly for that. I always freeze cookie dough and it bakes up perfectly whenever I feel the need to munch on one or maybe three or when we have friends stopping by unexpectedly.If you need more information on how to freeze cookies and treats,click here.

I am a huge fan of shortbreads.I have posted a few recipes for it already here on the blog and I've made them so many times over the last few years. December is my most favourite month and it's the most happening month with regards to shopping too! Gifts for my little family, secret santas and family friends. This year is no different. The best part is that we are getting a 2 week break from school,halfway through the month and I am so super excited about it!

Butterscotch is one of my favourite flavours in an icecream and a cake. Infact it's one of Appan's favourite ice cream flavour. Amma makes a lovely butterscotch souffle with cashew praline and it's just awesome! It is one flavour that I haven't seen around much here in the US. I wonder why. This shortbread dough is a dream to work with. So easy,so simple and yet so delicious. I love the recipes I've made so far from Taste of Home.

Cookies like these makes a perfect holiday gift. Just pack some together in a pretty bag and tie it with a bow to complete the look. Do you have a favourite holiday cookie recipe? I always lean towards simple cookies made with butter during this time. I love a plain old Nancuts to the Snowball cookies to the Jam Filled Sandwich cookies. You can find all those recipes here on my blog!

BUTTERSCOTCH SHORTBREAD
Makes 30-32 cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter,at room temperature
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butterscotch chips,finely chopped
1/2 cup English toffee bits

Method: In a large bowl,beat together butter,sugar and vanilla on high speed until pale and fluffy,about 1 minute. Whisk together flour,cornstarch and salt in a bowl and add it to the butter mixture. Mix well using a hand mixer until it comes together as a dough,10-15 seconds. Gently fold in the butterscotch chips and toffee bits.

Form them into logs over a piece of plastic wrap and wrap them tightly. Put them into gallon sized Hefty Slider Bags and store in the freezer*.

When ready to use,pull the cookie dough out and leave it to thaw on your countertop for 10-15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Slice the cookies into 1/4 inch thickness and place them on the cookie sheet 2 inch apart from each other and bake for 18-20 minutes or until it's golden around the edges and pale brown on top,like in the photographs above. Let it cool on a wire rack and when completely cooled,store them in an airtight container.

*If you want to use them right away, chill the cookie dough for an hour,slice and bake as instructed.

These cookies were irresistible. They are so crisp and delicious. I have never ever seen or tasted a butterscotch shortbread until I made these today. This is definitely going to be made again! We all loved it!

If you want to make your life easier,just print these beautiful designs from Hefty and clip them onto your Hefty slider bags. They will make the treats that you made for your loved ones,extra special!
Don't forget to check out Hefty's page on how to freeze your treats so that they are ready for you,when you want them to be!