Apricot Almond Shortbread Shells

ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup blanched whole almonds, toasted and ground fine
• 2 sticks (1 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
  2 2/3 sticks whipped butter
  2 sticks hydrogenated fat
  2 sticks margarine
  1 1/2 sticks olive oil
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. and butter 36 mini-muffin cups.

Into a bowl sift together flour, confectioners'sugar, cornstarch, and salt. In a food processor pulse mixture with almonds until combined well. Add butter and almond extract and blend until a dough just forms, about 1 minute.

On a lightly floured surface with floured hands form dough into thirty-6 1 inch balls. Press balls lightly into cups and bake in middle of oven until pale golden, about 15 minutes. Cool shortbreads in cups on racks 2 minutes and with a 0.75 inch melon-ball cutter carefully scoop out an indentation about 0.25 inch deep in centers. Cool shells completely. Gently loosen sides of shells with a thin knife and carefully remove from cups (shells will be very fragile). Shells may be make 3 days ahead and kept in am airtight container at room temperature.