Directions: |
Directions:This recipe works best in a large (10-14 cup) food processor. If you have a smaller food processor you should make the dough in 2 batches and if don't have one a mixer can be substituted using the instructions that follow.
Begin by combining the orange zest and sugar in a small bowl, rubbing them together with your fingertips until the sugar is most and very fragrant.
If you're using a food processor combine the sugar, flour and salt in the bowl of the processor. Pulse briefly to mix the dry ingredients. Add the cubed butter and pulse in 5-second bursts, until the dough begins to clump together. Once it comes together turn it out of the bowl and knead it briefly into a ball.
If you want to use a mixer instead use room temperature butter and combine the butter, orange-scented sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat them together until just combined, then add the flour and mix on low speed until blended. Turn the dough out and knead briefly by hand to incorporate any dry patches.
Divide the dough in half and roll each half between two sheets of waxed or parchment paper until it is 1/4" thick. Refrigerate each sheet of dough on a baking sheet or cutting board until firm.
Preheat oven to 350º. Working with one sheet of dough at a time, cut out 3" circles. use a small 1" cutter to cut a hole in the center of each one. You might want to wait a few minutes to cut out the center circle because cutting the dough straight from the refrigerator might cause the firm cookie dough to crack. Re-roll the scraps and cut again, until you have about 32 circular cookies.
Transfer the cookies to a parchment covered baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until they start to color and the edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and, while still hot, press the cutters in into the cookies again - the cookies will spread a little while baking and re-cutting them after baking will keep the edges clean and neat. Cool the cookies completely on the baking sheets before carefully removing them.
Melt the chocolate and dip the bottom of each cookie into the chocolate, then place it face-up on the baking sheet. Once all the cookies are dipped, refrigerate the tray to set the chocolate. Then flip the cookies upside-down so that the chocolate is on the bottom. Transfer the rest of the melted chocolate to a plastic bag with a hole snipped in the corner and drizzle lines of chocolate over the tops of the cookies. Refrigerate once more to set the chocolate. |
This recipe for Shortbread Cookies, Fudge-Striped is from