Recipe: Coconut Macadamia Shortbread for Len

Coconut Macadamia Shortbread

1/2 cup salted macadamia nuts
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sweetened shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. and generously butter a 9-inch round cake pan. In a food processor, pulse nuts and granulated sugar just until ground fine (do not grind to a paste). In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter with confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, nut mixture and 1/4 cup coconut. Beat flour mixture into butter mixture until just combined. On a lightly floured surface, knead dough 5 to 8 times, or until it just comes together. With floured hands (dough will be sticky) press dough evenly into prepared baking pan and sprinkle with remaining 5 tablespoons coconut,pressing lightly to make it adhere. Bake shortbread in middle of oven 30 minutes, or until pale golden. While shortbread is still warm, loosen edges from pan with a small knife and cut into 8 wedges. Let shortbread cool in pan. Carefully transfer shortbread to a platter.

Yield: 8 cookies