Christmas

Pear Cranberry Frangipane Cookies

by:
November  3, 2015
4
4 Ratings
Pear Cranberry Frangipane Cookies
Photo by Jenya | BlueGalley
  • Makes a dozen cookies
Author Notes

I love pear frangipane tarts so much, I decided to turn them into a cookie! That was everyone can have a small bite over the holidays :) —Jenya | BlueGalley

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • For the Shortbread Cookie Dough:
  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 and 3/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • For the Frangipane and Topping
  • 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
  • 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup raw almonds
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 bartlett pear
  • 2 tablespoons apricot jam
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 375. Soak the cranberries in the Grand Marnier for a half hour to an hour.
  2. melt the butter in the microwave for 20 seconds and let cool. Grind the almonds in a small food processor until finely ground. Place almonds in bowl and add the cooled melted butter, almond and vanilla extracts, egg, sugar, salt and lemon zest. Drain the cranberries and add the drained Grand Marnier to the almond mixture as well.
  3. For the dough: in an electric mixer beat together the room temp butter and sugar for 3 minutes until blended, add the vanilla and blend another minute. Sift together flour and salt and add to mixer. Beat another minute until dough starts to form. If it doesn't come together easily, add a tbs of very cold water.
  4. turn dough on to a lightly floured surface, and break into 12 uniform sized balls. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper spaced equally apart. Flatten just a bit and make deep indentations in the center with your thumb.
  5. Scoop the frangipane mixture into the center, then add a few thin slices of pear and a few of the soaked cranberries. Have fun with the design!
  6. Melt the apricot jam on low heat in small pan and brush the cookies with it. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden.
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  • LeBec Fin
    LeBec Fin
  • Jenya | BlueGalley
    Jenya | BlueGalley

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3 Reviews

LeBec F.
LeBec F. December 31, 2015
JEN, Alice Medrich has a great sweets ckbk for alternative flours and she has also posted in the last few months a number of cookies using rye flour. I first tasted a rye flour cookie in Portland ME this fall; you'd never know it was rye; it translates as just a deeper flavor! I'm also thinking wheat germ for the texture- which would complement that dough well I think. xo
 
LeBec F.
LeBec F. December 31, 2015
What adorable little sweets. And kudos for the clever thought in the first place! Love the textures, colors, flavor combo. The only thing these are screaming out for is a part whole wheat or rye cookie dough. Thx so much for the inspiration!
 
Jenya |.
Jenya |. December 31, 2015
Hi Le Bec Fin, thanks for the nice comment! I LOVE your idea for the dough, I think it would go great with these flavors and add a bit of savoriness. I make a yummy whole wheat rye bread loaf all the time and have always wondered how to incorporate rye into sweets. Will try it soon!