SPOON BUTTER RECIPES

Steps:

• Fill kitchen sink with about 2 inches of cold water. Melt butter in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until butter turns golden with a nutlike fragrance and flecks on bottom of pan turn a rich caramel brown, 10 to 12 minutes. (Butter will initially foam, then dissipate. A thicker foam will appear and cover the surface just before butter begins to brown; stir more frequently toward end of cooking.) Place pan in sink to stop cooking, then cool, stirring frequently, until butter starts to look opaque, about 4 minutes. Remove pan from sink and stir in sugar and vanilla.
• Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and stir into butter mixture until a dough forms. Shape into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap, and let stand at cool room temperature 1 to 2 hours (to allow flavors to develop).
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F.
• Press a piece of dough into bowl of teaspoon, flattening top, then slide out and place, flat side down, on an ungreased baking sheet. (Dough will feel crumbly, but will become cohesive when pressed.) Continue forming cookies and arranging on sheet. Bake cookies until just pale golden, 8 to 15 minutes. Cool cookies on sheet on a rack 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to rack and cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• While cookies cool, heat preserves in a small saucepan over low heat until just runny, then pour through a sieve into a small bowl, pressing hard on solids, and cool completely.
• Spread the flat side of a cookie with a thin layer of preserves. Sandwich with flat side of another cookie. Continue with remaining cookies and preserves, then let stand until set, about 45 minutes. Transfer cookies to an airtight container and wait 2 days before eating.

Steps:

• Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Continue cooking, watching closely, 10-12 minutes or until butter foams and turns a very deep golden brown, being careful not to burn butter. Immediately remove from heat. Pour butter into large bowl, scraping bottom of pan to get all the brown bits. Freeze, stirring occasionally, 25-30 minutes or until butter is solid but not frozen. 
• Heat oven to 350°F.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
• Whisk flour, hazelnut flour, baking powder and salt together in medium bowl; set aside.
• Add sugar to chilled browned butter; beat until well mixed. Add egg yolk and vanilla; continue beating until well mixed. Gradually add flour mixture; beat on low speed until well mixed. 
• With large tableware spoon (about 2 inches in length), form slightly domed spoon-shaped cookies, using side of bowl to press and shape dough. Gently slide dough off of spoon using finger, maintaining spoon shape, onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake 12-13 minutes or until deep golden brown around edges. Cool 10 minutes on cookie sheets. Dust cookies generously with powdered sugar before serving.