Orange Shortbread

I had the zest of half an orange left from baking the carrot cake, therefore decided to make some orange flavoured shortbread - you can't go wrong with a classic! The timings and temperatures of baking need some refinement and are oven dependent. This is a test of balancing the biscuit being baked through and not browning too much. If needed, you can always turn the oven down towards the end of the baking or cover with foil. Leaving the biscuit on the tray to cool is a really important step that should not be skipped as it helps give it that wonderful crunch. 

Recipe - Makes 8

• 60g margarine, softened
• 30g caster sugar
• Zest 1/2 orange
• 75g plain flour
• 25g semolina

Prepare the biscuit dough by creaming the margarine, sugar and orange zest together until soft. Add the flour and semolina and mix until combined. Line a 6 inch loose bottomed round cake tin with baking paper and tip the dough into the tin. Press out with the back of a spoon to fill the tin to the sides and the top is flat. Put in the fridge and chill for 30 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 160C. Remove the shortbread round from the tin and place onto a baking tray (still on the baking paper). Using your first fingers, crimp the edges by pressing them into the dough at an angle and slight together. Do this the whole way round. Use a sharp knife to mark into 8 triangles and use a fork to prick holes over the dough. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until slightly browned and baked through. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with caster sugar. Score through the markings with a sharp knife and leave on the tray to cool for 5 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Break into pieces to serve.