_{Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Heather Chadduck}

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup powdered sugar

3/4 cup canned sweet potato puree

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Wax and parchment paper

1 tablespoon Demerara sugar

1/2 cup marshmallow crème

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons meringue powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add 3/4 cup powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Stir in 2 tsp. vanilla until blended.

2. Stir together flour and next 6 ingredients. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended.

3. Divide dough in half; flatten each into a disk. Roll each disk to 1/4-inch thickness between 2 sheets of wax paper. Transfer dough, in wax paper, to a baking sheet; chill 1 hour.

4. Preheat oven to 350°. Working with 1 portion of dough at a time, remove top wax paper; cut with a 2-inch round cutter, rerolling dough scraps once. Place 1 inch apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets; sprinkle with Demerara sugar.

5. Bake at 350° for 12 to 14 minutes or until edges are golden. Cool on baking sheets 1 minute; transfer to wire racks. Cool completely.

6. Beat marshmallow crème and softened butter with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer at medium speed 2 minutes or until smooth; gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar. Add meringue powder, and beat at high speed 2 minutes or until fluffy. Stir in 1 tsp. vanilla extract. Spread about 2 tsp. mixture between cooled shortbread rounds to form sandwiches. Store in airtight containers.

Makes 2 1/2 dozen

Borrowed from Southern Living, December 2012

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