PECAN SHORTBREAD SANDWICHES WITH BUTTER TOFFEE CRUNCH FILLING

By cecelia26_

Ingredients

• FOR THE SHORTBREAD
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter,
• softened but still cool
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• (more or less, to taste)
• crushed toffee pieces
• (or Heath Bits o'Brickle),
• for garnish
• FOR THE FILLING
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter,
• browned and cooled to room
• temperature
• 2 cup confectioners’ sugar,
• (unsifted)
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup crushed toffee pieces
• (or Heath Bits o’ Brickle)

Details

Adapted from bakingdom.com

Preparation

Step 1

To make the cookies: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat mats; set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the salt and flour and continue beating until everything is fully incorporated and the mixture resembles wet sand with large clumps. Stir in the pecans until evenly distributed.

Using your hands, press all of the crumbs together in the bowl until it all forms a cohesive dough.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the cookies out (about 1/4 of an inch). Cut with desired cookie cutter and place on prepared cookie sheet, about 1.5-inches apart. Sprinkle half of the cookies with toffee bits. Bake for about 15 minutes (for 1/4-inch thickness; adjust time for thicker cookies).

Allow to cool completely before frosting or serving.

To make the frosting: In a large bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the butter on medium high speed for about 30 seconds. Add the sugar, about 1/2 of a cup at a time, and beat on medium speed until combined. The mixture may be quite dry. Stir in the salt, cream, and vanilla extract until combined. If the frosting is too dry, add more cream until desired consistency is reached. If it’s too runny, beat in more sugar, as needed. Mix on medium high speed for 5 minutes, until fluffy and very light in color. Stir in the toffee bits until evenly distributed.

Assemble: Turn the plain cookies over so they are bottoms up (leave the toffee-topped cookies alone). Place a generous serving of frosting on each upturned cookie, spreading it to the edges. Place a toffee-topped cookie on top of each frosted cookies, pressing down gently.

Serve immediately, and store leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week.