Candied Ginger Shortbread Cookies

These shortbreads are outstanding and a great cookie to make for Thanksgiving.

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1-1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 c. cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. finely chopped candied ginger (also called crystallized ginger)

Preparation

With an electric mixer on low speed, combine butter and sugar for about 30 seconds. Beat in egg yolk, then flour, cornstarch, and salt, until the mixture barely holds together. Do not overbeat. Gently fold in the candied ginger.

Lay out 2 pieces of plastic wrap that are about 12'' long. Divide dough in half. Place each half on the center of separate pieces of plastic wrap.   Using the plastic wrap, gently shape each piece of dough into a 6'' long log, about 2'' in diameter. Sprinkle sanding sugar along the wrap and rolls the log in it. Wrap tightly with the plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 275°.

With a sharp knife, slice cookies 1/4'' thick and place on baking sheet, spacing 1'' apart. Bake cookies until just firm but still quite tender and not at all brown, about 30 minutes. Cool for a minute on the baking sheet before removing to a rack to finish cooling.