March seems intent on going out like a lion; a dreary, rainy lion. But we just have to remember that the rain is what makes everything so green and beautiful in the spring. And we promise, spring IS coming!! It will look something like this:
April will be coffee tasting month here at Brampton. We thought it would be fun and informative to ask our guests for their input on different coffees that we have used in the past few years. We all have our favorites that will be put to the test. It can be challenging to taste-test coffee: what to use for a pala te cleanser: plain bread, something sweet, or a forkful of scrambled eggs?? What about regular vs. decaf? We don’t want our guests all revved up and unable to relax!! Ah, the difficulties of being an innkeeper…
One of the very best accompaniments to coffee are these pecan shortbread cookies. Like any good shortbread, they melt in your mouth and are addictive. Try them at home and see for yourself!
Pecan Short Bread
Makes 18
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted (bake in 325 oven for 10 min. Be careful not to burn the nuts)
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus a bit more for preparation
¾ cup confectioners sugar
½ cup cold (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on all sides.
In a food processor, pulse pecans until medium to finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. In the food processor, blend flour, sugar, butter, and salt until dough barely holds together. Add reserved pecans. Pulse 2 or 3 times, just to incorporate.
Press dough evenly into the bottom of prepared pan. If dough is sticky, dust with a hint of more flour. With a fork, prick dough several times across top.
Bake until lightly golden, 30 to 35 minutes.
Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Use foil overhang to lift shortbread from pan onto cutting board. With a serrated knife, carefully cut warm shortbread into 16 squares. Cool squares completely on a rack before serving.
Can be stored in an airtight container for a couple of days however they never last that long at the inn!