Pecan-Shortbread Trees

Name: Pecan-Shortbread Trees
Prep time: 1 h 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 32
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: 237 milliliters butter, softened; 414 milliliters Gold Medal® all-purpose flour; 5 drops green food color; 32 pecan halves; 118 milliliters coarsely chopped pecans; 177 milliliters white vanilla baking chips; 158 milliliters powdered sugar; 1 teaspoons vanilla; 32 yellow decorating stars, if desired

Pecan-Shortbread Trees might be just the hor d'oeuvre you are searching for. One portion of this dish contains approximately 1g of protein, 10g of fat, and a total of 136 calories. This recipe serves 32. This recipe covers 2% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. It is a very affordable recipe for fans of Southern food. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes roughly 1 hour and 15 minutes. A mixture of pecan halves, food color, flour, and a handful of other ingredients are all it takes to make this recipe so yummy.

Instructions

Heat oven to 325°F. Spray or lightly grease 2 large cookie sheets. In large bowl, beat butter and powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and food color. On low speed, beat in flour just until mixed. Stir in chopped pecans.

Ingredients you will need

Pecan Pieces

Powdered Sugar

Food Color

Vanilla

Butter

All Purpose Flour

Equipment you will use

Hand Mixer

Baking Sheet

Bowl

Oven

Divide dough into 4 equal parts; shape each into ball.

Ingredients you will need

Dough

Place 2 balls of dough on each cookie sheet, on opposite ends. With rolling pin or floured fingers, gently flatten and shape each ball into 6-inch circle. With large knife, divide and cut each round into 8 wedges, slightly separating each cut with knife. Poke tops of wedges with fork, and place 1 pecan half in middle of each outer edge to make tree trunk.

Ingredients you will need

Dough

Pecans

Equipment you will use

Baking Sheet

Rolling Pin

Knife

Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until firm but not brown. While still warm, cut into wedges again. Cool completely on cookie sheets, about 30 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Equipment you will use

Baking Sheet

Oven

Place cooled tree wedges on cooling racks or waxed paper.

Place baking chips in small resealable freezer plastic bag. Microwave on High 40 to 60 seconds, turning bag over after 30 seconds. Squeeze bag gently until chips are melted and smooth.

Ingredients you will need

Baking Pieces

French Fries

Equipment you will use

Ziploc Bags

Microwave

Cut small tip off one corner of bag, and drizzle side to side over wedges to make tree garland.

Sprinkle with sugar Top each tree with star.

Ingredients you will need

Sugar

Equipment

Ingredients

Servings:

237milliliters

butter, softened 414milliliters

Gold Medal® all-purpose flour 5drops

green food color 32

pecan halves 118milliliters

coarsely chopped pecans 177milliliters

white vanilla baking chips 158milliliters

powdered sugar 1teaspoons

vanilla 32

yellow decorating stars, if desired

Recommended wine: Riesling, Sparkling Wine, Zinfandel

Riesling, Sparkling Wine, and Zinfandel are great choices for Southern. In general, there are a few rules that will help you pair wine with southern food. Food-friendly riesling or sparkling white wine will work with many fried foods, while zinfandel is great with barbecued fare. You could try King Frosch Riesling Auslese All Natural German. Reviewers quite like it with a 5 out of 5 star rating and a price of about 19 dollars per bottle.