Martin Yan - PEANUT SHORTBREADS

PEANUT SHORTBREADS

Makes: about 2 dozen

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the cookie molds
1/4 cup sugar
1/4-cup cornstarch
Pinch salt
3/4 cup (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4-cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 cup chopped roasted, unsalted peanuts

Cooking:

Sift the flour, sugar, cornstarch, and salt together into a bowl. With an electric mixer, beat the butter, peanut butter and sesame oil in a large bowl until creamy. Add the flour mixture and mix at low speed (or by hand) until well blended.
To shape the cookies, lightly dust a 2 1/2 inch cookie mold with flour and shake out the excess. Pack enough of the cookie dough into the prepared mold to fill half way. Sprinkle a thin layer of chopped peanuts over the dough, and then pack enough dough to fill the mold. Level off the top of the cookie by dragging the back of a butter knife over the mold. Tap the mold firmly on the counter to release the cookie. Repeat with the remaining dough and peanuts, placing the cookies 2 inches apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet as you go. Refrigerate the cookies for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350(F. Bake the cookies until the edges turn golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.