Carrot Cake Shortbread

From now onwards, I'll devote my time on another hobby, which I'll reveal soon. I'll still continue to bake, cook, take pictures and post, but I won't spend too much time writing (which I'm suck at anyway and have to spend several hours thinking how to express :-P). I'll write if I have anything interesting to share, otherwise, just don't be surprised to see posts with only pictures and recipes. :-)

Carrot Cake Shortbread Recipe
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Christmas Cookies 2007

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup shredded carrot
1 tsp vanilla essense
2 1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
30 walnut halves

Cream cheese frosting:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup icing sugar
1/2 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs shredded carrot

Method:
1) To prepare the cookies: In a medium bowl, beat butter, carrot and vanilla essence with an electric mixer for about 30 seconds. Transfer butter mixture to a piece of clingwrap, shape into a log of 1-inch thick. Wrap and keep in freezer for 20 minutes.
2) Preheat oven to 300 deg F. When the oven is ready, toast the walnut halves for 10 minutes.
3) In the mean time, stir flour, cinnamon, salt and brown sugar in a large bowl. Remove butter mixture from freezer and then add into flour mixture. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter mixture into the flour mixture until it resembles fine crumbs and cling together. Knead the dough until smooth and forms a ball.
4) Using a rolling pin, roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out cookies with a 1 1/2-inch fluted cookie cutter. You should be able to get about 60 pieces.
5) Press the walnut halves on 30 pieces of the cookies. Then bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies turn slightly brown.
6) To prepare the cream cheese frosting: Using a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, icing sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Stir in shredded carrot.
7) Spread the frosting on the bottom of the cookies without walnuts, top with remaining cookies, with walnut sides up. Serve.