Maple-Pecan Shortbread

By norsegal8

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups cake flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• minced zest of 1/2 of an orange
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp. maple extract
• 1/4 cup pecans, toasted, chopped
• ultrafine sugar

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

1. Stir the cake flour, cornstarch and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.

2. Cream together the butter, sugar and zest in a bowl with a mixer until well-blended. With the mixer running, slowly drizzle in the syrup and the extract; beat until incorporated.

3. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 2 or 3 additions on low speed, beating until just incorporated. Fold in the nuts.

4. Pat the dough into an 8-inch square, about 3/4" thick. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until richly brown around the edges and golden in the center. Sprinkle a thick layer of powdered sugar over the shortbread.

5. Trim the edges and cut into bars while the cookies are hot. Let cool on the pan.