Polvorones from Puerto Rico
Description
Shortbread-like polvorone cookies from Puerto Rico are like thumbprint cookies, but they're filled with a thick, sweet guava paste instead of jam.
Ingredients
•
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
•
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
•
1 cup white sugar
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1 large egg
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1 large egg yolk
•
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
•
1 teaspoon almond extract
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3 cups all-purpose flour, or more if needed
•
1 (21 ounce) package guava paste, or to taste
Directions
1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two cookie sheets.
2
Beat shortening and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Mix in egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and almond extract.
3
Add flour, 1 cup at a time, until completely mixed; the dough should be stiff and able to hold its shape when formed into a ball. If this consistency is not achieved, add a little more flour.
4
Make 1-inch balls of dough and place 1 inch apart onto the prepared cookie sheets. Use your finger to make small indentations in the middle of each cookie; fill each with a cube of guava paste.
5
Bake in batches in the preheated oven until light golden on the bottom, about 15 minutes, switching racks halfway through; do not overcook. Cool on the baking sheet briefly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.