Chocolate Orange Shortbread

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter (170 g), softened but not melted
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar (67 g)
• 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest (about 1 large orange; avoid the white pith)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (240 g), spooned and leveled
• 6 ounces dark chocolate (170 g), 60–70% cocoa, finely chopped

Method

1. 01

   Line an 8-inch square metal baking pan with parchment, leaving enough overhang on two sides to lift out the shortbread. Use the stated pan size: a larger pan makes thinner, faster-baking biscuits. The recipe makes 16 fingers; one serving is one finger.

2. 02

   Put the sugar and orange zest in a bowl and rub them together with your fingertips until fragrant. Add the softened butter and mix with a wooden spoon or an electric mixer on low speed for 1–2 minutes, just until smooth. Mix in the vanilla and salt. Stop before the mixture becomes fluffy; the dough needs little air for a close, tender crumb.

3. 03

   Add the flour in two batches, stirring gently just until it forms moist clumps with no loose flour. It may look crumbly at first; press a little together to check that it holds. Do not add orange juice or water. Tip into the lined pan and press into an even layer with your fingers or the flat bottom of a measuring cup, making sure the corners are the same thickness as the center.

4. 04

   Score the surface into 16 fingers: mark a line halfway across the pan to make two rows, then divide the other direction into eight equal columns. Do not cut through the parchment. Prick each finger a few times with a fork. Refrigerate the pan for 30 minutes. During the last 15 minutes, heat a conventional oven to 325°F (165°C), with a rack in the middle. The total time includes chilling, cooling, and setting the chocolate.

5. 05

   Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the surface looks dry, the edges are pale golden, and the center feels set when touched very lightly. Shortbread should stay fairly pale, rather than brown all over. If it still looks damp in the middle, continue in 3-minute intervals, watching the edges. A dark metal pan may bake faster, so start checking at 30 minutes.

6. 06

   Cool in the pan for 5 minutes. With a sharp knife, carefully cut all the way through along the scored lines without slicing through the parchment. Leave in the pan for another 15 minutes, then use the parchment to lift the slab onto a wire rack. Cool for about 40 minutes more, until completely cool, before separating the fingers. Handle gently while warm; they become firmer as they cool.

7. 07

   Melt the chocolate in a clean, completely dry microwave-safe bowl at 50% power in 20-second bursts, stirring after each burst. Stop when a few small pieces remain and stir until smooth. Alternatively, set the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water without the bowl touching the water; stir gently and remove as soon as melted. Keep water and steam out of the chocolate.

8. 08

   Dip one end of each cooled finger into the chocolate to cover roughly half, letting the excess drip into the bowl. Place on a parchment-lined tray and refrigerate for about 15 minutes, until the chocolate is firm. You may have a little chocolate left in the bowl. The coating is simply melted chocolate, so keep the cookies cool if the room is warm.

9. 09

   Store in an airtight container, with parchment between layers, in a cool place for up to 5 days. In a warm kitchen, refrigerate and let the closed container stand briefly before opening to reduce condensation. Undipped shortbread can be frozen, well wrapped, for up to 2 months; thaw before dipping. Milk chocolate may replace the dark chocolate for a sweeter finish. When increasing servings, use separate 8-inch pans and check each pan individually; scaling ingredients does not adjust baking time.