Brown Butter Shortbread w/ Orange Extract
One of my fondest memories growing up is spending a Saturday evening at the bookstore with my mama. We’d share a latte and a pack of Walker’s shortbread cookies. The decadently rich butter flavor tasted so refined and sophisticated. We didn’t have much money during those times so the monthly treat of a shared 16oz hazelnut latte and one rich crispy shortbread each was an incredible treat. If only I knew then how cheap and easy shortbread is to make back then. I probably would have made them all the time just to feel a little fancy- but then again, maybe they wouldn’t have been so special.
These brown butter with orange extract shortbreads are a special treat I reserve for close friends and family. They have a buttery richness yet delicate orange essence flavor. They’re the perfect companion to coffee with a friend, and make wonderful gifts. I hope you enjoy this delicate treat with someone truly special.
What You’ll Need:
2 Sticks Salted Butter (European Style)
1/2 Cup Confectioners Sugar
1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 Teaspoon Orange Extract
Cane Sugar for Sprinkling
Preparation Details:
Take butter out of the fridge about 20 minutes prior to browning. Dice into blocks.
Place your two diced sticks of salted butter in a saucepan on over medium heat. It’s important not to get the pan too hot or you’ll scald the butter. Keep a close watch over the butter stirring slowly as it melts. The melted butter will begin to foam up once melted. Continue stirring. After about five minutes it’ll begin to burn brown with darker toasted bits at the bottom of the pan. You’ll know it’s done by the nutty toasted aroma.
Pour browned butter into a glass container with a secure lid to solidify at room temperature. The solidification process takes a few hours so I’ll usually brown my butter the night before making the shortbread. I’ll leave it out on the counter overnight and it’s perfect first thing in the morning.
Once your butter has solidified mix in confectioners sugar by had or electric mixer until it’s creamed.
Add in your extracts then flour and mix thoroughly. The dough will seem pretty crumbly and dry but this is needed to attain the proper crisp.
Lay out some cellophane and work the dough into a tube resembling a tube of store bought cookie dough. Twist up the end of the cellophane around your cookie dough tube and give a few squeezes around the tube to make sure it’s packed tightly without cracks in the dough.
Place tube (still wrapped in cellophane in the fridge to chill for at least two hours to firm up.
Once chilled and firmed unwrap dough from cellophane.
Preheat oven to 350
Using a very sharp thin bladed knife slice into half and inch thick cookies.
Sprinkle course ground organic cane sugar on tops of cookies.
Bake for about ten minutes rotating your cookie sheet halfway though.
Enjoy with a loved one and a latte!
