Cherry And Almond Shortbread - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups flour
1/3 cup rice flour
1/4 cup plus 1 tsp sugar
12 tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) butter, chopped
1 None egg, separated
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/4 cup chopped glace cherries
2 tbsp sliced almonds

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 325\u00b0F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper or butter it lightly.
Place the flours, 1/4 cup sugar and a pinch of salt into the food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter a little at a time and process until mixture begins to clump together.
Add the egg yolk and almond extract and process again until large clumps form. Turn the mixture out onto a floured board and push together with your fingers to form a smooth ball of dough. Cut in half.
Add the cherries to one half and knead again until they are well incorporated. Roll out the cherry dough to an 8-inch square and set aside. Roll out the other piece of dough to the same size.
Whisk the egg white and brush a little over the cherry layer. Place the plain layer on top and press down gently with your hands and the rolling pin.
Brush the top with more egg white and sprinkle with the almonds. Using a long-bladed knife, cut the dough into 4 strips, then cut each strip into 8 fingers. Press down any pieces of almond that have been dislodged in the cutting process and try to ensure that each piece of shortbread has a few good pieces of almond. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tsp sugar. Transfer the pieces to the prepared pan.
Bake for 30 mins, rotating the pan after 15 mins. The shortbread should be a pale golden color, not brown. Cool in pan 2 mins. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack. Store in airtight tins with waxed paper between the layers of shortbread, or freeze in containers.