Chocolate And Orange Pecan Shortbread Recipes

CHOCOLATE AND ORANGE PECAN SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Beat in orange peel, vanilla and orange extract. On low speed, beat in flour and salt. Stir in pecans and chocolate chips.
• Divide dough in half; shape into 2 flat disks. Wrap 1 disk in plastic wrap.
• On floured surface, roll unwrapped dough about 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 2 1/2-inch circles with plain or fluted cookie cutter (or cut into desired shapes). On ungreased cookie sheet, place cookies about 1 inch apart. Repeat with second disk.
• Bake 15 to 19 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.

SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter and 1 cup of sugar until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
• Roll the dough 1/2-inch thick and cut with a 3 by 1-inch finger-shaped cutter. Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• When the cookies are cool, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Put 3 ounces of the chocolate in a glass bowl and microwave on high power for 30 seconds. (Don't trust your microwave timer; time it with your watch.) Stir with a wooden spoon. Continue to heat and stir in 30-second increments until the chocolate is just melted. Add the remaining chocolate and allow it to sit at room temperature, stirring often, until it's completely smooth. Stir vigorously until the chocolate is smooth and slightly cooled; stirring makes it glossier.
• Drizzle 1/2 of each cookie with just enough chocolate to coat it.