Chocolate-Coated Orange Cookies
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. grated orange zest
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 12 Tbs. (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted
- butter, cut into pieces
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 4 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate,
- chopped
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat an oven to 350°F.
- In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, cornstarch, orange zest and salt.
- Process briefly until well mixed.
- Add the butter and vanilla and pulse until the mixture resembles fine meal. Then process continuously until moist clumps form.
- Transfer the mixture to a large sheet of waxed paper and, using your hands, gather the clumps together into a flat disk. Top with a second sheet of waxed paper.
- Roll out the dough about 1/4 inch thick.
- Remove the top sheet of waxed paper. Using a 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter, cut out cookies.
- Transfer to ungreased baking sheets, spacing the cookies about 1/2 inch apart.
- Gather up the scraps, pat into a disk and roll out again. Cut out additional cookies.
- Bake until the cookies are just beginning to brown, about 15 minutes, switching the pans and rotating a half turn halfway through baking.
- Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks and let the cookies cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to the racks to cool completely.
- Place the chocolate in the top pan of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl.
- Place over but not touching simmering water in the bottom pan. Heat, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat.
- Line a baking sheet with waxed paper or aluminum foil.
- Dip the cooled cookies in the chocolate, covering them halfway.
- Arrange the cookies in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Refrigerate, uncovered, until the chocolate sets.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.