Hazelnut shortbread

 

            Tasty with sherbet and ices, or with your best brewed coffee. The cake flour makes for a slightly more delicate shortbread.

Makes 2 dozen shortbread wedges

• 3 cups cake flour or all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup 10X (confectioners') sugar
• ½ cup hazelnuts, toasted and ground
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1¼ cups unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 2 squares (1 ounce each) semisweet chocolate, melted (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Stir together flour, 10X sugar, hazelnuts and salt in medium-size bowl ; cut butter into flour mixture with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal.
3. Knead until mixture holds together ; divide dough in half.
4. Place each half on ungreased baking sheet ; pat each out into 9-inch circle and crimp edges.
5. Cut each circle into 12 equal wedges, but not to separate.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown.
7. Drizzle chocolate, if using, over hot shortbread ; cool 10 minutes.
8. Then recut to separate wedges ; cool the chortbread completely.

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