Photo of Carrot & Orange Shortbread with Orange Icing by Mario
Shortbread!
Yes, today we’re going to share with you our Shortbread with Orange Icing recipe. But not just any shortbread, a Carrot & Orange Shortbread!
The origins of that delicious biscuit dates back to 12th century (so over 800 years ago!), however back then it was more of a biscuit bread, given the fact that yeast was used in the recipe. Of course, over the years the recipe have changed, for example yeast were substituted with butter, evolving into a Shortbread Biscuit as we know it today 🙂
Oranges, like other citrus fruits, are a great source of Vitamin C, whereas carrots are very rich in beta carotene and other antioxidants.
Carrot & Orange Shortbread with Orange Icing
Prep time: 30 minutes + 30 minutes resting time
Cook time: approx. 15 minutes
Total time: approx. 1 hour 15 minutes
Makes approx. 20 biscuits
Recipe by Mario
INGREDIENTS
For the Shortbread
- 8 oz unsalted butter, soften
- 4 oz caster sugar
- 12 oz plain flour
- Zest of 1 Valencia orange
- 1 oz finely grated carrot
For the Icing
- 125 g icing sugar
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
INSTRUCTIONS
- Using a kitchen robot with a paddle attachment, mix butter and sugar until light and creamy.
- Add flour, orange zest and grated carrot, mix until fully combined.
- Take the pastry out of the mixing bowl, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
- In the meantime mix orange juice with icing sugar to create the icing. If too thick, add more orange juice. Set aside ready for later.
- After resting, take the pastry out of the fridge, dust the working surface with a little flour and roll out the pastry until 5 mm thick.
- Using a round cutter, about 3 inches in diameter, cut the biscuits out and transfer onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment.
- Using your hands, knead the leftover pastry together and repeat the rolling and cutting out until all of the pastry is used.
- Bake the biscuits in pre heated oven, 180 degrees Celsius, for 10 – 15 minutes, until golden brown.
- Once out of the oven, transfer the shortbread onto a cooling rack.
- After approx. 10 minutes, drizzle with orange icing, let it set for few minutes and enjoy!
NOTES
- You can swap the orange zest and juice with lemon 🙂
- Be creative and use different shape cutters – depending on size of the cutters, cooking time may vary slightly.
