Pecan Shortbreads with Cream Cheese Filling

These are a rich accompaniment to any dinner party.  They would go nicely with a glass of red wine!
Adapted from Food and Drink Holiday 2015.

COOKIES
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup sifted icing sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans

CREAM CHEESE FILLING
250 g Cream Cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup finely crumbled Goat Cheese

1. Preheat oven to 300 F.
2. Place oven racks in the top and bottom third of the oven.  Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment.
3. In a bowl, stir flour with salt.  In a larger bowl, beat butter until very creamy, about 2 minutes.  Use a wooden spoon to gradually stir in flour mixture, followed by the nuts, using floured hands to knead in the last of the flour and nuts.  Gather dough into a ball.
4. Cut dough in half and place 1 piece on a flour-dusted work surface.  Form into a disc.  Using a floured rolling pin, roll to 1/4 inch thickness.  If it becomes sticky, dust rolling pin and the work surface with flour.  Cut out cookies using a 1 1/2 to 2 inch cookie cutter.  Place on parchment covered sheets, about 1 inch apart.  Gather dough left after cutting, roll out and cut into cookies.  Repeat with remaining half of dough.  
5. Bake in top and bottom thirds of oven, switching sheets halfway through, until cookies are firm, from 15 to 17 minutes.  You do not want them to brown.  Leave on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool.  Stored in a sealed container at room temperature, they’ll keep well for at least a week.
6. To make filling, pulse cream cheese and goat cheese in a food processor until blended and creamy.  If making ahead, cover and refrigerate up to a week.  Bring to room temperature before spreading over half the cookies, using about 1 tbsp on each.  Then add a cookie on top.  Ti’s best to make these no more than about an hour before the party since the filled cookies soften as they sit.

Makes about 18 filled sandwich cookies.