These orange and almond shortbread biscuits have a delicious light and crumbly texture. Perfect to enjoy as a morning or afternoon treat, they also make fabulous biscuits to serve with creamy desserts.
When I posted my Blood Orange Posset recipe a little while back I promised I would also share my recipe for the pretty heart-shaped biscuits that I served with them. So true to my word, here is my recipe for orange and almond shortbread biscuits. They are simple to make, based on a traditional shortbread biscuit, but I have substituted some of the flour with ground almonds and flavoured the dough with some orange zest. Lemon zest can be used for a delicious variation.
In some shortbread recipes, you rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips, but I have found that by creaming the butter and sugar together first then mixing in the flour and almonds you get a dough that is easier to roll out. Once rolled the biscuits are cut out with a cookie cutter. You can use any shape or size for that matter, which will determine the total number of biscuits you get. As a guide I get 10-12 5cm (2in) biscuits.
In addition to the heart shape cookies I made to go with the posset, I made some pretty flower shape cookies, as well as these ones with a standard fluted cutter. (I couldn't resist taking this overhead shot to try out my new tripod a pressent from Mr B. ) I think they all look pretty. A light dusting of icing sugar is entirely optional.
Light and crumbly, these orange and almond shortbreads make a delicious mid-morning or afternoon treat.
They are also ideal to serve with creamy desserts and icecream.
Allow 30 minutes extra time for chilling.
Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then beat in the orange zest.
Add the flour and ground almonds and mix to a soft dough. Chill for 15 minutes.
Roll out the dough to about 3mm (1/8th in) thick and cut out the biscuits. Carefully transfer to a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Chill for another 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 170℃ (160℃ fan)/375°F/gas mark 4.
Bake in the centre of the oven for 12-15 minutes until pale golden. Allow to cool and harden for a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
add flour almond and orange zest. Mix to a dough and chill.
Roll out and cut out biscuits.
Transfer to a baking sheet and chill before baking.
Lightly flour the work surface before rolling but try not to use too much.
Handle the dough gently when rolling out to prevent the dough from stretching.
Trimmings can be gently kneaded into a ball for re-rolling again handle gently or the biscuits will become tough.
Chill the dough if it becomes too soft to roll.
Chilling the biscuits before baking will help them to keep their shape during baking.
These sound delicious! I think orange and almond is such a lovely combination and the biscuits look absolutely perfectly baked too!
How utterly delicious Jacqui. I'm a huge fan of shortbread biscuits – their buttery crumbly melt in the mouth qualities is just so good. Love the use of the orange zest and almond in them. Thankyou too for linking up with #BakingCrumbs, it's always lovely to have you there.
Always a pleasure to link up Angela.