Okay, treat #4 and only 13 days left to Christmas!!! So excited, I love this time of year.  I think of parents and family members who aren’t here to celebrate with us in person, but somehow they are here with us.  The impact they have had on me as a son, brother, nephew, cousin is part of my DNA and hopefully that of others I interact with.  What a great memory to have this time of year!!

This cookie comes from my daughter Lauren.  You’ve heard me speak of her in my classes.  Our (mis)adventures in cooking and baking.  She is very precise with her measurements – great for baking but drives me – Mr. Patient, crazy when we cook.  Who – I ask you, who, measures ¼ tsp of salt?!  But this is probably why she is a better baker with what she tries coming out as intended every time – she follows the recipe.  So when she gives me a cooking recipe, it comes out tasting nothing like hers.  I blame it on the fact that cooking is an art, baking a science.  This is 2018 Christmas Treat #4 – Chocolate Orange Shortbread, adapted from the Lindt magazine.

This is a lovely shortbread cookie.  It combines my favorite flavor combination chocolate and orange.  We used Lindt (it is their recipe after all) dark chocolate and the zest of an orange to finish it off.  There is something delightful in the bite of a cookie that is half dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with zest.  A delightful cookie and one that will I’m sure you will make every Christmas – an elegant cookie and so easy to do.  Do make this cookie over the holidays.  As always – enjoy!

  • 3/4 cup (1½ sticks or 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 2/3 cup (130g) packed light brown sugar (dark brown just yields a slightly darker color)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups + 2 Tablespoons (326g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
  • 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
  • Zest from 1 large orange – reserve some for sprinkling on top of the chocolate covered cookie – or use some orange or lemon citrus sugar – hmmmmmm!
  • 2 tbsp (30ml) orange juice
  • 8 ounces (226g) Lindt dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • Sea salt for sprinkling on top

In the bowl of your stand (or hand) mixer with the paddle attachment beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy – medium high speed about 4 minutes, scrape down the bowl half way through

Beat in the egg and vanilla – scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed, until mixed
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, and salt together

Add the flour to the butter mixture – cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a towel to prevent it from spreading flour all over the kitchen, and on low speed, slowly mix into the wet ingredients until combined – count to 10 and remove the towel

Add the zest and juice and continue to beat until comes together – it will be firm and slightly sticky

Turn half the dough out onto a square of parchment paper – roughly shape the log into a roll – these are slice and bake cookies so the bigger the diameter of the roll, the bigger the cookie, I like them small so I made my roll 1 ½” diameter

Fold one end of the parchment paper over the log and push the top piece of parchment under the roll – this helps keep your roll round – repeat, place the rolls in the fridge to cool – at least 2 hours

Preheat oven to 350f and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper – set aside
Remove logs from the refrigerator and slice ¼” thick

Place the cookies on the lined sheets about 1” apart, they will spread a bit

Bake the cookies for 8-12 minutes or until lightly brown around the edges

Allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack

Melt the chopped chocolate in a double boiler or microwave (microwave method goes from perfect to burnt in seconds.  I always recommend short 10 second bursts and stirring between when melted.  Small chunks will melt as you stir so don’t overdo it – please)

Set a cooling rack on top of a parchment lined baking tray

Dip each cookie halfway into the chocolate and place on top of the rack allowing excess chocolate to drip onto the parchment

Sprinkle with sea salt and orange zest (citrus sugar)