Vanilla-Pomegranate Shortbread Thumbprints

If you don’t have, or can’t find, 7-inch tart pans with removable bottoms, use one 9×13-inch baking pan, but the cookies won’t have the pretty fluted edges.

Whisk 2 tsp. cornstarch with

2 Tbsp. hot pomegranate mixture in a bowl; whisk into boiling mixture. Stir in lemon juice and pinch of salt, cook until pomegranate filling is very thick and syrupy, 6–8 minutes; cool to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 300° with rack in center position.

Bake shortbread 30 minutes; remove from oven and lightly repress indentations with measuring spoon. Rotate pans and return to oven; continue baking shortbread until edges begin to brown and start to pull away from sides of pans,

30–40 minutes more.

Carefully remove ring when cool enough to handle. Transfer shortbread to a cutting board; cut into wedges along score lines and indent again if needed.

Spoon about 1 tsp. filling into each indentation; transfer shortbread to a rack to cool completely.

Per cookie: 246 cal; 15g total fat (9g sat);

38mg chol; 75mg sodium; 29g carb

(1g fiber, 12g total sugars); 2g protein

Makes 16 cookies;

Total time: 11/ hours + chilling

WHISK:

21/ 2 3 1/2

BEAT:

21/ 2

2/3 1

MEANWHILE, HEAT:

1/2 1/2 2 2 cups all-purpose flour Tbsp. cornstarch tsp. table salt

sticks unsalted butter (20 Tbsp.), softened cup granulated sugar tsp. ground vanilla or

2 tsp. vanilla bean paste cup pomegranate juice cup granulated sugar tsp. cornstarch tsp. lemon juice

Pinch of table salt

Lightly coat two 7-inch-round tart pans with removable bottoms with butter.

Whisk together flour, 3 Tbsp. cornstarch, and 1/2 tsp. salt.

Beat butter in a bowl with a hand mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 minutes. Add 2/3 cup sugar and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy, 2 minutes more.

Add half the flour mixture; beat on low speed until combined.

Add remaining flour, beating only until flour is incorporated. Divide dough in half and press each into a prepared pan. Pierce dough with a fork to mark cut lines, then dock.

Make a small indentation about 1/2– 1-inch from edge of each wedge using back of a one teaspoon measuring spoon; chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat pomegranate juice and 1/2 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium-high to a boil, stirring often to dissolve sugar.