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Pecan Shortbreads with Raspberries and Raspberry Purée
Serves 8
Ingredients
FOR THE PECAN SHORTBREADS:
4 oz (110 g) pecans
5 oz (150 g) softened butter
2 1/2 oz (60 g) unrefined golden icing sugar
2 1/2 oz (60 g) rice flour or ground rice, sifted
5 oz (150 g) plain flour, sifted
FOR THE RASPBERRY PURÉE:
8 oz (225 g) fresh raspberries
2 level tablespoons golden caster sugar
FOR THE RASPBERRY FILLING:
1 lb (450 g) fresh raspberries, reserving 24 for the garnish
7 fl oz (200 ml crème fraîche
5 fl oz (150 ml) fresh custard
2 drops vanilla extract
TO GARNISH:
unrefined golden icing sugar, to dust
Method
Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4, 350°F (180°C).
You will also need 2 baking trays measuring 11 x 16 inches (28 x 40 cm), lightly greased, and a 3 1/2 inch (9 cm) round pastry cutter.
To begin, toast the pecans by spreading them out on a baking tray and popping them in the oven for 8 minutes. Then, once cool, place them in a processor and grind them down until they look rather like ground almonds.
Now, in a mixing bowl, cream the butter and icing sugar together until light and fluffy, then gradually work in the sifted flours, followed by the ground pecans, bringing the mixture together into a stiff ball. Place the dough in a polythene bag and leave in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes. After that, roll it out to a thickness of 1/4 inch (5 mm), then stamp out 16 rounds by placing the cutter on the pastry and giving it a sharp tap, then simply lift the cutter and the piece will drop out. Now arrange the biscuits on the baking trays and lightly prick each one with a fork. Bake for 10-12 minutes, leave on the baking trays for about 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the shortbreads are cooling, place the raspberries for the purée in a bowl, sprinkle them with the sugar and leave for 30 minutes. After that, purée them in a processor and pass through a nylon sieve to remove the seeds, then place in a serving bowl, cover and chill till needed.
For the raspberry filling, whisk the crème fraîche in a mixing bowl with an electric hand whisk until it becomes really stiff, then add the custard and vanilla extract and whisk again, also until thick. Cover and chill till needed. Just before serving, spread equal quantities of the cream mixture over 8 of the biscuits, then arrange the raspberries on top, not forgetting to reserve 24. Spoon some purée over, then sandwich with the remaining shortbreads. Place 3 raspberries on top of each one, and lightly dust with the icing sugar.
