Praline Shortbread Squares

Preparation Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish with grapeseed oil and dust with almond flour. To make the shortbread, blend the almond flour, salt, grapeseed oil, and agave nectar in a food processor until smooth. Press the dough into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool. While the shortbread bakes, prepare the pralines. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter, then add the agave nectar and vanilla extract. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add the pecans. Remove the praline mixture from the heat, cool to room temperature, and spread over the shortbread. Place in the refrigerator for 3 hours to set. Cut into squares and serve. Sweetness: high Reprinted with permission from The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook: Breakfasts, Entrées, and More by Elana Amsterdam. Copyright © 2009 by Elana Amsterdam; photographs copyright © 2009 by Annabelle Breakey. Published by Celestial Arts, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc. Elana Amsterdam is the popular food blogger of Elana's Pantry, where she has written about gluten-free cooking and baking since 2006 after she and her son were both diagnosed with celiac disease. Elana's first book, The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook, was named one of the Denver Post's top cookbooks of 2009. Her writing has appeared in diverse publications including Shape, Natural Solutions, Delicious Living, and Delight magazine. She lives with her family in Boulder, Colorado. Visit www.elanaspantry.com.

Preparation Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish with grapeseed oil and dust with almond flour. To make the shortbread, blend the almond flour, salt, grapeseed oil, and agave nectar in a food processor until smooth. Press the dough into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool. While the shortbread bakes, prepare the pralines. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter, then add the agave nectar and vanilla extract. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add the pecans. Remove the praline mixture from the heat, cool to room temperature, and spread over the shortbread. Place in the refrigerator for 3 hours to set. Cut into squares and serve. Sweetness: high Reprinted with permission from The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook: Breakfasts, Entrées, and More by Elana Amsterdam. Copyright © 2009 by Elana Amsterdam; photographs copyright © 2009 by Annabelle Breakey. Published by Celestial Arts, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc. Elana Amsterdam is the popular food blogger of Elana's Pantry, where she has written about gluten-free cooking and baking since 2006 after she and her son were both diagnosed with celiac disease. Elana's first book, The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook, was named one of the Denver Post's top cookbooks of 2009. Her writing has appeared in diverse publications including Shape, Natural Solutions, Delicious Living, and Delight magazine. She lives with her family in Boulder, Colorado. Visit www.elanaspantry.com.