Ingredients: cups All Purpose Flour (Maida), teaspoon Salt, cup Butter (unsalted) - at room temperature, cup Caster Sugar, teaspoon Vanilla Extract, teaspoon Orange Zest (Rind), grams Dark chocolate - semi sweet, cup Hazelnut - slightly toasted and powdered (or cashew nuts), Vegetarian diet
Instructions: To begin making the Orange Zested Shortbread Cookies, in a bowl mix flour and salt and keep aside.In a large mixing bowl, add softened butter and sugar using a hand mixer until the mixture looks smooth and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and the orange zest and beat in.Gradually add the add the flour and mix just until incorporated. Once you have a cookie dough mixture, shape the dough into a ball and flatten it into a 1/4 inch thick disk. Place it on a baking sheet, wrap the Orange Zested Shortbread Cookie Dough in a cling wrap. Place it in the refrigerator for at least an hour and allow the cookie dough to firm up. This process is important, as this process will make the cookie have a perfect texture once baked.After an hour, when you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 180 C. Remove the cling wrap and place the cookie dough in the oven to bake. Bake until the cookies are golden in color for about 15 to 20 minutes. Once baked, remove from the oven and allow it to cool on a wired rack.The next step is to make the Chocolate Dipping Sauce.Finely chop the chocolate and melt it using a double boiler method or in microwave. Keep stirring intermittently until all the chocolate is melted. Dip one end of cooled cookies into the chocolate and sprinkle powdered hazelnut or cashew nut on both the sides. Place on a wired rack and allow the chocolate to set. Once chocolate hardens store in a air-tight container.Serve the Orange Zested Shortbread Cookies as a tea time snack for tea parties or even as a snack for kids.