Chocolate Orange Shortbread with Candied Orange Peel

A delicious buttery biscuit, spiked with fragrant orange zest, generously dipped in dark chocolate. Perfect to give as a homemade gift!

There's something about baking and Christmas. I wish I could say it was because of the weather, that the snow and dropping mercury drives one in to the kitchen for baking and comfort by the oven but in Australia, this is quite the opposite. It's hotter the devil's bumhole after curry night. I can barely function in this heat. And yet when the tree goes up and the shop fronts put their little animatronic scenes up, I get the hankering for some bakering.

Mr. Cakes has always been a fan of choc orange. Not to say that he came out of the womb sucking on a Jaffa but for as long as I've known him, he's been a fan of this classic combination. It wasn't a flavour I've previously been inclined to choose. However, in the last few years, I've certainly come around. Maybe I'm a mature person now who likes to munch on a Terry's Chocolate Orange while I'm watching a bit of Miss Marple.

I have never had a Terry's Chocolate Orange and I have never seen Miss Marple. Both are awesome, I'm sure.

I have had chocolate orange shortbread with candied orange peel. These smell so good, you can out your Christmas candle back in the cabinet for the afternoon while these are baking. Ain't no party like an olfactory party cos an olfactory party is in your nose...and you know...what other party is in your nose? Cocaine.

These cookies have a wonderful orange flavour from both some orange zest and a few tablespoons of freshly squeezed juice. But because the juice does thin the batter out, the cookies do spread when baked. To counter this, make sure to refrigerate the cookies for 30 minutes.

I choose to make these in half moon shapes, like orange slices. I tried cutting them before they were put in to the oven, but I found I could get a crisper line on the sliced side if I carefully cut them with a very sharp knife the second they came out of the oven.

You may be tempted to skip making the candied orange peel and who am I to discourage cutting corners. But I must tell you, the candied orange peel not only look darling and take presentation of the cookies to the next level, but they taste divine. And if giving these as gifts, then I'm afraid the candied peel is really not optional. It just looks (and tastes) too good.

Chocolate Orange Shortbread with Candied Orange Peel

Prep time: 40 mins

Cooking time: 25 mins

Total time:  1 hr 5 mins

Servings: 24 cut-out biscuits

230g butter, softened

120g caster sugar

2T fresh orange juice

Zest of 2 oranges

260g plain flour

80g rice flour

375 dark chocolate

1.      Preheat oven to 150°C and line two cookie sheets with baking paper

2.      In a large bowl, beat the butter with a wooden spoon until soft then add the sugar and mix thoroughly.

3.      Add orange juice, orange zest then mix.

4.      Sift in both flours and mix to a smooth dough.

5.      Roll out dough to 1cm thickness and cut using a round cookie cutter.

6.      Place on the prepared cookie sheets, at least 2cm apart and place in the fridge to chill for at 30 minutes.

7.      Meanwhile, make the candied orange peel - see below for 

8.      Bake each tray on the middle shelf of the oven for 25 minutes, or until cookies are just cooked.

9.      When the cookies have come straight out of the oven, cut the circles, with a very sharp knife, to form half-moons.

10.  Allow to cool.

11.  Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl, in the microwave in 30 second intervals.

12.  Dip each cookie in the melted chocolate and top with a piece of candied orange peel while chocolate is wet and then place on a rack to allow to dry.

13.  Enjoy!

Candied Orange Peel

1/3 cup caster sugar

1/3 cup water

2 oranges

Extra caster sugar for coating peels (1/2 cup to a cup)

1.      Use a vegetable peeler to cut the peel off the oranges in long strips, then use a sharp knife to cut the peel into pieces 3 - 5 cm long.

2.      Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves.

3.      Add the orange peel and cook over a low-medium heat for 20 or so mins until the peel is tender and the syrup thickens.

4.      Transfer the peel and syrup to a small bowl and refrigerate until cool enough to handle.

5.      To sugar the candied orange peel, drain the syrup from the orange peel and toss the peel with the extra caster sugar in a small bowl, then place on a baking sheet lined with non-stick paper.

6.      Allow to stand until required.               

Chocolate Dipped Vanilla Shortbread

A delicious buttery vanilla biscuit , generously dipped in milk and white chocolate. Perfect to give as a homemade gift!
 

Oh my stars, look at this! The first week of the second year of Four Weeks of Christmas baking! Mull that over for a minute and figure out the time line then join me in a big fat YAY! My tree is up and shining beside me as I type and I have a Christmas candle burning, I really love this time of year.

In December, we use salt and pepper from a Santa and Sack combo. That's how we roll.

 Is any other biscuit so quintessential Christmas as shortbread? How did that happen? Shortbread is Scottish, I know that much. But why is it associated with Christmas? I did a quick google and couldn't find an answer on the first two pages I clicked on so I'm stumped. If you know, please leave a comment and tell me!

Little offset spatula. How handy you are.

Mr Cakes loves shortbread. Or he did. When I asked him the morning of baking the shortbread, he didn't seem too excited. He had just come off night shift so that might explain it, though anything Christmas related should be welcomed with a ridiculous amount of enthusiasm. That's how I live my life.

Little stars and maybe the circles are moons! A Christmas sky.

Shortbread gets its name from the 'shortness' of the dough, meaning it's buttery and has a high proportion of fat. The recipe traditionally is very simple with just butter, plain flour, rice flour and sugar as well as a dash of salt. There are many variations and commonly, the rice flour is substituted with cornflour. Cornflour will make a softer biscuit and rice flour gives a crisper, more crumbly biscuit. Ever the traditionalist - with baking at least - I use rice flour.

That pink dish cost me $20, it was more than 60% off. That is a Christmas miracle. But I had to bring it up the back stairs so Mr Cakes didn't see it as I have been spending waaaay too much money. How did it get here, he'll ask and I'll say "SANTA!"

I did stray ever so slightly by adding a vanilla pod to the dough. I wanted not only the amazing flavour of vanilla but I find those tiny black dots so pretty on the surface. Like their own teeny tiny baubles. Then I went further off the traditionalist path by dipping them in chocolate. And I don't think I need to explain that chocolate makes everything better. We all know that. That's science.
 

Bon-bons were half price too. And the pack said they're luxury bon bons. Bargain.

This is such a simple recipe, a really great one to do with little ones in the kitchen. I don't have any little ones (yesssssssss) but I do have puppies and they like to help too. Snuffling up any dropped bits of dough so quick. So helpful.

Pretty. God, I'm glad I bought that dish. I got one in mint too, which will definitely be making an appearance soon.

 Once the dough has been made, I like to roll the dough out on a piece of baking paper. This ensures less mess but also makes it easier to get the cut out cookies off the bench. When making stars, this is especially important as a little stickiness on the points of the stars came make them misshapen.

This shortbread is really yummy, the vanilla makes it pop. And the chocolate. Chocolate makes everything better.

These would make great gifts, they would look so pretty wrapped in a bit of cellophane and tied with a little red bow. Also, they're pretty inexpensive which counts around this time of year, so many expenses.

Remember to leave some cookies out for Santa!

I just ate a burrito and then had two of these delicious shortbreads and I tell you, I could get a second job as a shopping centre Santa. God, I'm so full.

Visit Four Weeks of Christmas Baking past!:

Week 1 of Four Weeks of Christmas Baking: Christmas Star Cherry Tart with Cinnamon Honey Roasted Macadamia Ice Cream
Week 2 of Four Weeks of Christmas Baking: Raspberry Jam Drops
Week 3 of Four Weeks of Christmas Baking: Rum Ball Trifle
Week 4 of Four Weeks of Christmas Baking: Eggnog Cake

Chocolate Dipped Vanilla Shortbread
Adapted from The Guardian shortbread recipe

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 27 mins

Total time:  37 mins

Servings: 24 cut-out biscuits

230g butter, softened
120g caster sugar
1 vanilla pod, scraped
260g plain flour
80g rice flour
150g milk chocolate
150g white chocolate
 

1. Preheat oven to 150°C and line two cookie sheets with baking paper
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter with a wooden spoon until soft then add the sugar and mix thoroughly.
3. Scrape in the seeds from a vanilla pod and mix.
4. Sift in both flours and mix to a smooth dough.
5. Roll out dough to 1cm thickness and cut using assorted shaped cutters.
6. Place on the prepared cookie sheets, at least 2cm apart and place in the fridge to chill for at 15 minutes.
7. Bake each tray on the middle shelf of the oven for 27 minutes, or until cookies are just cooked.
8. Allow to cool.
9. Melt the chocolates in separate bowls, in the microwave in 30 second intervals.
10. Dip each cookie in the melted chocolate and allow to dry.
11. Enjoy!

Raspberry Jam Drops

Lovely soft biscuits with raspberry centres!

When I told my friends and colleagues about my second week of Christmas baking was Raspberry Jam Drops, most of them replied that it wasn't particularly Christmassy. I was a little perplexed as I do associate these crumbly, buttery biscuits with the festive period. They're a lovely thing to make to give wrapped up as a gift and so easy to make with just a handful of ingredients.

You probably have all these things in your pantry right now...what are you waiting for?! 

These Raspberry Jam Drops would also be a good recipe to do with little ones as they're simple and it's a lot of fun to poke your fingers into the little rounds of dough. The dough is very straightforward and could be done completely by hand. I think it's nice to do a whole recipe with just a bowl and a wooden spoon. Makes you feel more involved with the dough.



I should have taken a photo of the mixing bowl I used, it's one of my favourites. But this is the inside of the bowl...not as exciting is it. Oh well.



For these, I would recommend getting a really good quality jam. I went with raspberry for no other reason than it's my favourite. Any other jam would work too, even marmalade. I do think a red coloured jam is more suited to the season.


The little jam drops ready to go into the oven.



These make lovely presents, and they're easy to whip up the day before you gift them. They look lovely wrapped in cellophane with a nice piece of ribbon, like I have done or put into a jar. I'm slightly obsessed with Etsy and I purchased the tags in the photos from this shop here.


I was listening to Christmas carols while I made these, so they're infused with the spirit of Christmas.



These are so buttery and delicious. Homemade gifts are a meaningful and thoughtful gift plus you get to spend a relaxing bit of time in the kitchen!

While I was taking this photo, I saw the jam is a product of France...I'm just drawn to French things and I don't even know it.

All prettily wrapped up, ready to gift!

 

Buttery and soft.

 



Week 2 of Christmas baking done! Bring on Week 3!



Have a look back at the weeks of Christmas Baking past:
 
Week 1 of Four Weeks of Christmas Baking: Christmas Star Cherry Tart with Cinnamon Honey Roasted Macadamia Ice Cream
Week 3 of Four Weeks of Christmas Baking: Rum Ball Trifle
Week 4 of Four Weeks of Christmas Baking: Eggnog Cake

Raspberry Jam Drops
Prep time: 15 mins

Cooking time: 13 mins

Total time:  28 mins

 

Servings: 24

 
180g softened butter
1 cup caster sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Raspberry jam for centres

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line two trays with baking paper
2. Beat the butter and sugar together in a medium bowl until butter turns paler in colour
3. Add the egg and vanilla then beat to combine
4. Sift in the flour and baking paper and mix until just combined
5. Roll out heaped teaspoons full of batter and place on tray, leaving at least 10cm space between the cookies
6. Press a finger deep into the centre of each cookie and fill the cavity generously with jam
7. Bake each tray for 13 mins or until cookies are just golden on the edges
8. Allow to cool and enjoy!