We really enjoyed this dessert. I’m thinking the blood oranges could be replaced by many different kinds of fruits during the summer.
Brown Sugar Shortbread with Blood Orange Creme
(from LCBO, FOOD & DRINK, Spring 2009)
Blood oranges have a slightly tarter and fuller flavour than ordinary fruit--and their flesh is more colourful, hence the name. This shortbread seems to disappear from the cooling rack, so since these wedges keep well, you may want to make a double batch.
Shortbread
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup rice flour
Creme
1/2 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese
2 tbsp whipping cream
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 blood oranges
1/4 cup icing sugar plus 1 tbsp for garnish
Several springs fresh mint
1. Preheat oven to 325 F
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or ungreased foil.
3. Whirl sugar in a food processor for 30 seconds to give it a finer texture. Add butter and salt, whirl until smooth and caramel-coloured. (If mixture appears grainy, let rest for 15 minutes, then whirl again.) In a bowl stir flours together, make a well.
4. Add butter mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir with a spatula until crumbly dough forms. Divide dough into 2 portions.
5. Place portions on baking sheets. Firmly pat each into a round about 7 inches in diameter. Decorate edges by pushing index fingernail into edges in a scallop manner. Using a long chef’s knife, cut each circle into 8 wedges, but keep together. Prick each wedge in 2 places with a fork.
6. Bake on centre rack of preheated oven for 30 minutes or until pale golden-brown on edges. Cool on pans on cooling rack for 5 minutes; then cut apart again with chef’s knife. Remove wedges to cooling rack. (When cool store in an airtight container for 2 two weeks or more.)
7. To make creme, beat cream cheese with whipping cream and vanilla until smooth. Zest 1 blood orange with a rasp. Stir zest into cheese mixture with 1/4 cup icing sugar. (Creme can be covered and refrigerated for a day or more.) Cut rind from blood oranges. Slice oranges crosswise; then cut into small pieces (to perch on shortbread wedges).
8. To serve, dust tops of wedges with icing sugar topped from a small sieve. Pipe or heap about 2 tsp creme on each shortbread. Pat pieces of blood orange dry with a paper towel; place on creme. Decorate with a mint leaf. Serve right away.
Makes 16 servings
Brown Sugar Shortbread with Blood Orange Creme
(from LCBO, FOOD & DRINK, Spring 2009)
Blood oranges have a slightly tarter and fuller flavour than ordinary fruit--and their flesh is more colourful, hence the name. This shortbread seems to disappear from the cooling rack, so since these wedges keep well, you may want to make a double batch.
Shortbread
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup rice flour
Creme
1/2 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese
2 tbsp whipping cream
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 blood oranges
1/4 cup icing sugar plus 1 tbsp for garnish
Several springs fresh mint
1. Preheat oven to 325 F
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or ungreased foil.
3. Whirl sugar in a food processor for 30 seconds to give it a finer texture. Add butter and salt, whirl until smooth and caramel-coloured. (If mixture appears grainy, let rest for 15 minutes, then whirl again.) In a bowl stir flours together, make a well.
4. Add butter mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir with a spatula until crumbly dough forms. Divide dough into 2 portions.
5. Place portions on baking sheets. Firmly pat each into a round about 7 inches in diameter. Decorate edges by pushing index fingernail into edges in a scallop manner. Using a long chef’s knife, cut each circle into 8 wedges, but keep together. Prick each wedge in 2 places with a fork.
6. Bake on centre rack of preheated oven for 30 minutes or until pale golden-brown on edges. Cool on pans on cooling rack for 5 minutes; then cut apart again with chef’s knife. Remove wedges to cooling rack. (When cool store in an airtight container for 2 two weeks or more.)
7. To make creme, beat cream cheese with whipping cream and vanilla until smooth. Zest 1 blood orange with a rasp. Stir zest into cheese mixture with 1/4 cup icing sugar. (Creme can be covered and refrigerated for a day or more.) Cut rind from blood oranges. Slice oranges crosswise; then cut into small pieces (to perch on shortbread wedges).
8. To serve, dust tops of wedges with icing sugar topped from a small sieve. Pipe or heap about 2 tsp creme on each shortbread. Pat pieces of blood orange dry with a paper towel; place on creme. Decorate with a mint leaf. Serve right away.
Makes 16 servings