Arabian Shortbread (butter cookies)

[Twitchin Kitten]

OK so today I started on Shortbread and when browsing through my recipe books I came across the photo below and saw those lovely little diamond shape cookies with the pistaccio on top!
I remember these from my childhood!
I had no idea the Arabs made shortbread but I certainly do remember eating these! These cookies literally melt in your mouth and are light and so delicious. They do taste very similar to traditional shortbread as we know it but are much lighter.

I now have a hankering for these and I just might make some tonight and take a picture for you all.

*preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Your oven must be temperature accurate. Adjust as needed*

Arabian Shortbread
Ghurayba

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups butter ( 3 sticks UNSALTED!)
1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon orange blossom water (mazahar) * can be omitted if you can't find
1 egg yolk
3 cups flour
40 or so shelled pistaccios or blanched almonds

Place the butter, 1 1/2 cups of the confectioner's sugar, the orange blossom water and the egg yolk in a blender, then blend for 1 minute. Transfer to a mixing bowl then gradually add the flour while mixing with your fingers until a smooth dough is formed. form the dough into balls a little smaller than a walnut then place on an ungreased cookie sheet and flatten slightly to about 1/4 inch thickness.

Press a pistaccio (or almond) on each piecs and bake in a 300°F oven for 20 minutes or the bottoms start to turn a light brown and allow to cool. Then sprinkle with the remaining confectioner's sugar.

Note: the cookies may feel soft at the end of baking time but will harden as they cool.