Chocolate dipped shortbread biscuits (sprinkled with fresh orange zest)

When reading Stylist magazine, I accidentally found Cake off challenge  I was the happiest girl alive, because to be honest I never took a part in any competition in my life, especially not a baking one, plus I had an excuse to bake some delicious biscuits with no guilt involved. As a kid I hated orange and chocolate flavor mixed together, but now as a serious, adult woman (ha ha) I absolutely adore it. Give a try, I think it's one of the simplest biscuit recipe I know, plus contrast between dark chocolate and orange cookie looks really pretty!

Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Biscuits 
(Sprinkled With Fresh Orange Zest)

(makes 35 biscuits)

110 g icing sugar 

180 g butter

Orange zest from 1 orange

25 g egg white 

280 g flour

200 g dark chocolate 

Caster sugar to sprinkle 

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Cream the butter and icing sugar together. Add the egg white and half of orange zest and mix well. Add the flour. Mix to a smooth paste, careful not to over work, cling film and rest for at least 20 minutes in the fridge. Roll out until the paste is around 2 cm thick, then cut desired shapes, transfer carefully to a flat tray lined with parchment paper and bake for approximately 7 minutes, until biscuits just starting to turn brown. Once taken from the oven, sprinkle immediately with caster sugar.

Now, we need to melt the chocolate. Cut the chocolate to small pieces, and place it in a microwave- safe bowl. Microwave over the lowest heat possible for around 40 seconds, take the bowl out, stir half melted chocolate gently, and return it to a microwave for another 10-15 second. At this point chocolate should be nice and smooth, and ready to use. If you want , you could also melt your chocolate in more old school way called A bain-marie ( everything sounds better tn french don't you agree?) It's a simple method of melting the chocolate over simmering water into heatproof bowl. Just half-fill saucepan with water and bring to a simmer. Place bowl with chocolate on top, making sure it doesn't touch water. Use a spatula to sir. Should be ready in couple of minutes.

When chocolate is ready, dip half of each biscuit into the melted chocolate and sprinkle with the rest of orange zest. Transfer shortbread biscuits to a cooling rack or baking paper and leave them for around 1 hour to set completely. Enjoy!