An exotic, delicately flavored shortbread, rolled out and cut with a small cookie cutter.
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon powdered saffron (about 1/2 teaspoon of saffron filaments ground with a mortar and pestle)
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow corn flour (NOT cornmeal, cornstarch or masa harina)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Directions
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar, orange zest, salt and saffron until creamy.
- In another bowl, stir together the two flours and the baking powder.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until it makes a grainy, homogenous mixture, then knead with hands to bring it together to a smooth dough.
- Roll out between two sheets of waxed paper to about 1/4-inch thick. Remove the top sheet of waxed paper and cut with a 2-inch cookie cutter. Re-use scraps one time only.
- Place cookies on prepared baking sheets and place in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
- Pre-heat oven to 325F. Prick each cookie twice with a fork.
- Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Allow to cool for 3 minutes on baking sheet then remove to a wire rack to cool.
Notes
- Translated from the French-language “Madame” magazine, December 2010.