TWD brown sugar-pecan shortbread...

This week the recipe chosen by Tara of Smells Like Home is for Madeleine cookies OR any TWD recipe that has been previously baked. I have to say that I have had my eye on these shortbread cookies from the very beginning so this was an easy choice for me. These are a gourmet, homemade version of the good old, store bought pecan sandies that I have always loved. I really had a hard time limiting my intake of these..SO FABULOUS!! The recipe was very easy to put together, and tasted even better then I imagined they would.

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

Pinch of ground cloves

2 sticks butter; room temp

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup finely ground pecans

Sift together flour, cornstarch, salt & cloves. Beat butter and brown sugar on med. speed for about 3 min, until the mixture is very smooth. Reduce speed and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the dough. Add the pecans and give the mixer a couple of turns, just to get the nuts into the dough.

Using a rubber spatula, transfer the soft dough to a gallon-size ziploc bag. Put the bag on a flat surface, leaving the top open, and roll the dough into a 9 x 10 1/2 inch rectangle that is 1/4 inch thick. As you roll, turn the bag occasionally and lift the plastic from the dough so it doesn't cause creases. When you get the right size thickness, seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours.

Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 min. The shortbread should be very pale-they shouldn't take on a lot of color. Transfer to a rack and cool completely.