salted citrus shortbread
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: about 15 cookies
 
Ingredients
  • 12 tbsp salted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • ½ cup (90g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ tsp vanilla salt (or sea salt)
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • ½ tsp lemon extract
  • 1¾ c + 3 tbsp (270g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp coarse sugar, for dusting
Instructions
  1. Place the butter and zest in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream on medium-low speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.
  2. Add the sugar and salt and mix on medium-low speed for about 2 minutes or until fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
  3. Add the vanilla bean paste and lemon extract and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds to distribute evenly. Add the flour in 2 additions, mixing on low speed for 15 to 30 seconds after each, or until just combined. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to incorporate any flour that may have settled there.
  4. Mound the dough on a work surface and, using the heel of your hand or a pastry scraper, push it together into a 5-inch-square block. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until firm. (The dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month.)
  5. Position the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees, using the convection setting if you have it. Line 2 sheet pans with Silpats or parchment paper.
  6. For rectangular cookies, unwrap the dough and place it between two pieces of parchment paper or plastic wrap. With a rolling pin, pound the top of the dough working from left to right to begin to flatten it, then turn the dough 90 degrees and repeat. (This will help prevent the dough from cracking as it is rolled.) Roll out to a 9 in square. If the dough has softened, slide it (in the plastic wrap or parchment) onto the back of a sheet pan and refrigerate it until firm. Cut into 2.5 in x ½ in rectangles.Combining the leftover dough, rolling out, and repeating until you've used it all.
  7. For thumbprint cookies, roll 1 inch balls of dough, then place on the cookie sheet and press down with your thumb to create an indention.
  8. Dust the tops of the shortbread with coarse sugar and arrange on the prepared sheet pans, leaving about ¾-inch between them.
  9. Bake until pale golden brown, 13 to 15 minutes in a convection oven, 17 to 19 minutes in a standard oven, reversing the positions of the pans halfway through baking.
  10. Set the pans on a cooling rack and cool 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool completely. The shortbread can be stored in a covered container for up to 3 days.
  11. Once the cookies have cooled completely, dip them in the blood orange curd or spoon it liberally over the cookies, allowing it to drip over the sides.
Recipe by oh honey bakes at https://ohhoneybakes.com/citrus-shortbread-with-blood-orange-curd/