Candied-Orange Shortbread Recipe

Ingredients

• Candied Orange Peel
• 1 orange
• Water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
•  
• Shortbread
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped

Directions

1. Make the candied orange peel: Use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin from the orange, making sure that no pith remains on the peel. In a small saucepot, bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Add the peels and cook for 1 minute. Drain and rinse the peels under cold water. Repeat this process 3 more times with fresh water. Combine the granulated sugar and 1 cup of fresh water and bring to a simmer. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the orange peel and simmer until the peel is tender and transparent, about 20 minutes. Remove the orange peel from the liquid and set aside to cool on a baking rack lined with parchment paper. Once the peel is cool, finely chop and reserve.
2. Make the shortbread: Butter and flour a 4-by-14-inch rectangular tart pan or an 8-inch-round tart pan with a removable bottom. Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides. Butter and flour the parchment paper.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sea salt and reserved candied orange peel.
4. In another medium bowl, whisk together the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla-bean seeds and a pinch of sea salt. Fold the flour mixture into the butter and mix until just incorporated. Spread the dough into the prepared pan, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
5. Preheat the oven to 325°. Remove the shortbread from the refrigerator and place in the oven. Bake until golden and set, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let the shortbread cool slightly before carefully removing it from the pan; cut into triangular pieces. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.