Ingredients

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

1 cup whole hazelnuts

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts

Crunchy Hazelnut Shortbread

Makes 18 Squares

Printable Version

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with aluminum foil. Lightly butter the foil. Evenly sprinkle 3/4 cup of the brown sugar and the whole hazelnuts oer the bottom of the pan.

In a large bowl, beat the butter, the remaining brown sugar, vanilla and salt with an electric mixer, until light and fluffy. Beat in the flour and the choppe hazelnuts at low speed, until light and fluffy. Beat in the flour and the chopped hazelnuts at low speed, until the mixture begins to cling to the beaters. Scatter the dough over the sugar and nuts in the bottom of the prepared pan and press it into an even layer with your fingers.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the top is lightly browned. Cool for 10 minutes on a rack. Top with a cutting board or serving plate and invert. Remove the foil carefully and cut into squares while still warm. (The cake is very crumbly, so don't worry about cutting even pieces.) Serve warm or at room temperature.