Canestrelli Shortbread Cookies
Canestrelli Shortbread Cookies by Ohio food blogger NeighborFood are tender and melt-in-your-mouth delicious, and go perfectly with a cup of coffee or on a holiday cookie tray.
Directions
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and powdered sugar until well-combined, scraping the bowl as necessary.
- Beat in the vanilla bean, salt and lemon zest.
- Place a fine mesh strainer over the mixing bowl. Add the hard-boiled egg yolks and use a spoon to push the yolk through the strainer, creating a fine dusting of yolks. Beat the yolks into the butter mixture on low speed.
- Add cornstarch and flour to the bowl. Beat on low speed until a crumbly dough begins to form. The dough does not need to be cohesive, but all the powdery ingredients should be incorporated.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter top or pastry mat, and gently knead until the dough forms a ball. Press the ball down with the palm of your hand into a thick disk, then wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Lightly flour a surface, then roll the dough to about 1/2-inch thick. Cut with flower cookie cutters or whatever shape you desire. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 14-17 minutes, or until firm, but not browned.
Notes
To avoid sticking when cutting out the cookies, dip the cookie cutter in flour after every few cuts. For the center hole, use a piping tip or sturdy straw. Cookies will keep in an airtight container for about 1 week. Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 1 month.