Alright, after acquiring a killer-sounding chocolate-chip biscotti from a Twitter acquaintance, I mentioned how I was reminded of a really good sounding recipe I stumbled across about 5 years ago in a cookbook an old roommate gave me. She requested said recipe, and so here it is.
I have de-Britished the recipe somewhat, as it was full of terms like "caster sugar," "corn flour," and "scant." (OK, I left in "scant," because I couldn't think of a better word to use and I so seldom get the chance to say/write/type "scant.")
Pecan Toffee Shortbread
from The Cookie and Biscuit Bible
Makes 20
1 tbsp. ground coffee
1 tbsp. near-boiling water
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tbsp. smooth peanut butter
scant 1/2 cup superfine sugar
2/3 cup cornstarch
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
For the topping:
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup soft light brown sugar
2 tbsp. light corn syrup
1 cup shelled pecans, halved
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line a 7 x 11" pan with waxed paper.
Put the ground coffee in a small heatproof bowl and pour the hot water over it. Leave to steep for 4 minutes. Strain through a sieve into a bowl. Discard the grounds.
Cream the butter, peanut butter, and coffee until light. Sift the cornstarch and flour together and mix in to make a smooth dough.
Press into the base of the baking pan and prick all over with a fork. Bake for 20 minutes. To make the topping, put the butter, sugar, and syrup in a pan and heat until melted. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Simmer for 5 minutes, then stir in the pecans. Spread the topping evenly over the base. Leave in the pan until cold, then cut into squares or bars. Remove from the pan and serve.
