Ingredients
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1 -2 orange, juice and zest of (1/4 cup juice, 1 tablespoon zest)
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1 tablespoon Cointreau liqueur or 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier
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1/4 cup dried apricot, diced
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1/4 cup dried sweetened cranberries
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1 cup butter, melted (no substitutions)
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1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
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1/2 cup powdered sugar
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2 teaspoons vanilla
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1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
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1 cup cake flour
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1/2 cup white chocolate chips
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1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
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1 teaspoon orange zest
Instructions
- Shortbread:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a small bowl or cup stir together diced dried apricots, dried cranberries, cointreau and 1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice. Let sit for 15 minutes or more.
- Melt butter in microwave.
- In a large mixing bowl combine melted butter and 1 tablespoon of orange zest. With an electric mixer on medium speed beat in brown sugar,powdered sugar and vanilla.
- On low speed beat in flours 1/2 cup at a time, scraping the sides down after each addition until mixture resembles soft crumbs.
- Drain dried fruits and reserve liquid for glaze if desired.
- Stir dried fruits and white chocolate chips into the shortbread dough.
- Press dough evenly into an ungreased 15x10 cookie sheet with 1/2" sides. Prick the top all over with a fork.
- Place on the middle rack in preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes until firm to the touch and very lightly browned around the edges.
- Let cool 5 minutes. Cut into 48 squares with a sharp knife while it's still warm.
- Optional Glaze:
- In a small bowl stir together sifted powdered sugar, orange zest, cointreau and fresh squeezed orange juice until a thick pourable consistency is reached.
- Pour glaze over cooled cut shortbread still in the pan and spread in a thin even layer with a spatula. Let glaze harden.
- Lift out squares with a butter knife inserted under the edge of them.