Chocolate and Orange Shortbread

This winter brings me out in a chocolate and orange mood - there's nothing nicer than the smell of oranges and warm chocolate, although, eating the biscuits is pretty heavenly too!   I tested my first batch on a visiting friend, who ate one just as it had come out of the oven.  Mistake....  The chocolate is molten.  A glass of water later, we tested another one.  Yes, it was good too, and so was the third.. and the fourth!

Shortbread must be the easiest kind of biscuits to make, and this variation is no exception.  As I hadn't really thought much about chopping the chocolate particularly evenly, I did have some trouble rolling the biscuits out, as the chunks meant you couldn't get them very thin. That said, the heftier biscuits were deliciously good, with a real kick of orange as well as chocolate pieces.  

I used two trays this time, and kept the second tray in the fridge for another batch.  They lasted overnight beautifully, so I had fresh biscuits two days running.

Chocolate and Orange Shortbread

Chocolate and Orange Shortbread

5oz/150g plain flour

3 level tbsps rice flour – if no rice flour, substitute plain flour

2oz/50g caster sugar

4oz/100g butter at just above room temperature

2oz/50g dark chocolate/choc chips

Rind of 1 large or 2 small oranges

½ tsp orange essence (for that extra bit of zing!)

Preheat oven to 170deg C/325 deg F.   Put baking parchment on a large baking tray.   Mix together the flours and the sugar, plus the orange zest.  If you are using chocolate, chop it so that it forms reasonably small and even pieces, and add it or the choc chips.   Lastly, add the butter and work it into the dry ingredients.   It will form a dryish dough, which you knead a little before rolling (this stretches the gluten and makes the biscuit stick together better).  

Roll out the dough between two pieces of baking parchment.  In practice, the dough will be as thick as the chocolate pieces you’ve used.   Cut out the biscuits and transfer using a fish slice to the baking sheet.   Chill for about 10 minutes.  Bake until golden – the butter in the mixture will brown while your back is turned, so check it frequently after 15 minutes or so.      When they are done, dredge them with caster sugar.  

Makes approx. 12-14 depending on thickness.