CINNAMON ALMOND SHORTBREAD PEAR

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 150°C/300oF/Mark2.
• Line oven trays with baking parchment and put the tray in the oven.
• In a large bowl sifted flour, cinnamon and almond meal. Mix well. Set aside.
• In another bowl beat butter, caster sugar and vanilla essence until light and creamy.
• Combine flour mixture and butter mixture, (may need to use hands) to form a dough.
• Roll the mixture into a large plum size or walnut sized balls and then shape each ball into a pear. (The more smaller you make them the more cloves you would need).
• Place the base of the clove (star shape end) on the top of the pear to the form the core.
• Place the pears on hot tray and bake in the oven for 12 minutes or until pale golden. (Please note if you are making them plum size baked them for 12 minutes or until pale golden, but if you are making walnut size it would be quicker).
• Remove tray and allow pears to stand on trays for 10 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool.
• Dust lightly with icing sugar. Store.
• Note: Please let everyone who is eating the shortbread pear knows it's a real clove on the top because they may want to remove it before eating.