Monday, May 23, 2011

Vanilla Shortbread Sandwiches with Orange Buttercream #32

Vanilla Shortbread Sandwiches with Orange Buttercream #32 from Better Homes and Gardens December 2010 100 Best Cookies Periodical

At first when I was making these as I was rollng them out I thought I would never make them again.  They were crumbly and didn't stick together very well during kneading BUT after finishing them I completely changed my mind.  These cookies were gone within an hour after my husband got home from work--the orange in the cream makes them wonderful!!

2 teaspoons vanilla extract (divided)                                  3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour                                                  1/2 cup butter
Orange Buttercream

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a large bowl stir together flour and sugar.  Using a pastry blender, cut in butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla until mixture resembles fine crumbs and starts to cling.  Knead until smooth and form into a ball.  So again, mine were crumbly and I had a hard time creating much of a ball with the dough. 

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 8 by 6 rectangle.  Very crumbly but it did create just enough dough to make the cookies as directed.  Using a pastry wheel or a knife (I used a pastry wheel and they looked really pretty) cut into 24 2X1 inch rectangles.  Place rectangles 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet (I lined mine with parchment paper).

Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes (I only had to bake mine about 15 minutes) or until edges are firm.  Cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, transfer to wire rack let cool.

Pipe or spread Orange Buttercream on bottoms of half the cookies. Top with remaining cookies, bottom sides down. Makes about 12 sandwich cookies.  I decided to not make into sandwiches so that I could have 24 cookies-again, so yummy!

Orange Buttercream: In a large bowl beat 1/4 cup softened butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon milk, 1/2 cup finely shredded orange peel and remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla.  Beat until smooth.  Beat in 1 and 1/2 cup additional powdered sugar and 1 Tablespoon milk to make filling of piping consistency.  If needed add more powdered sugar or milk depending on constistency.




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