Blood Orange And Poppy Polenta Shortbread Cookies Recipes

BLOOD ORANGE POPPY SEED WINDOW COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine flour, poppy seeds, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine, and set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add egg yolks and vanilla, then beat on medium speed until well combined, scraping the bowl as needed.
• Add half the flour mixture and beat on low speed, drizzling in the buttermilk. Add remaining flour mixture and beat on low speed just until combined, then increase speed and beat until dough starts to clump together. Scrape the bowl and fold dough a few times to make sure everything is well combined. Divide into two equal balls, flatten into disks, wrap in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
• Generously flour a silicone baking mat or sheet of parchment paper. Place one disk of dough in center and dust both sides of the dough and rolling pin with flour. Working quickly, roll dough until slightly thicker than 1/8 inch. Slide onto baking sheet (do this any time the dough feels too soft or sticky). Chill in freezer until firm, about 10 minutes. Repeat process with second disk of dough.
• Flour two cookie cutters in the shape of your choice, one larger, measuring about 2 to 2 1/2 inches, and one smaller, measuring about 1 to 1 1/2 inches.
• Using the larger cutter, cut one of the dough sheets in this shape, flouring the cutter frequently. These will be the bottoms of the cookies. Lift off excess dough, knead and chill to re-roll for more cookies, if desired. Spread them out so there is a little space in between. (If the dough is soft and too delicate, chill it in the freezer to be able to move it more easily without distorting its shape.) Chill tray of cut cookie bottoms in freezer until firm, about 10 minutes.
• For cookie tops, repeat Step 6 with remaining dough, again using the larger cutter. Then, using the smaller cutter, cut a "window" or a center hole in the tops of each cookie. (If the dough cracks, just a wait a moment or two to let it warm up.) Chill tray of cookie tops. Count as you go to make sure you have an equal number of solid bottoms and "window" tops. (You should have about 2 dozen of each.)
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake cookies until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. (The more delicate "window" cookies will bake faster, so you will want to remove them from the oven first.) Let cool a few minutes on the baking sheets and transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
• Place marmalade in a small microwaveable bowl, and microwave 30 seconds to loosen, or transfer to a small saucepan and heat over medium-low until warmed, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir a few times, then strain out the solids, if desired. Let marmalade cool until thicker. (You can speed this up by popping it in the freezer for 15 minutes.)
• Place the cookie bottoms on a parchment- or wax-lined baking sheet, flat-side down. Using an offset spatula or small spoon, spread 1 scant teaspoon marmalade on each bottom cookie, and top with a windowed cookie. Lightly dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired. (It will stick to the cookie and melt on the marmalade.) Sprinkle marmalade with a few more poppy seeds. Store in an airtight container or tin between layers of parchment or wax paper until serving. Cookies will keep at room temperature for 1 week.

BLOOD ORANGE AND POPPY POLENTA SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter an 8x8" baking pan, preferably metal. Line with parchment paper, creating overhang on 2 sides. Lightly butter parchment. Whisk polenta, salt, and 1 1/2 cups flour in a medium bowl to combine. Place granulated sugar and blood orange and lemon zests in a large bowl and rub together with your fingers until mixture is very fragrant and sugar starts to look a little moist, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup butter and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla and beat just to combine. Reduce speed to low and gradually add dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. Fold dough with a rubber spatula a few times to incorporate any dry bits in the bottom of the bowl. The dough will be wet and a bit sticky.
• Using floured hands, gently press half of the dough into prepared pan in an even layer. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp. poppy seeds over dough; press gently to adhere. Scatter pieces of remaining dough over and press down into an even layer with floured hands. For a completely flat surface, use the bottom of a straight-sided measuring cup to smooth dough.
• Bake shortbread until edges are golden brown and center is light golden, 25-30 minutes. Let cool in pan.
• Meanwhile, simmer blood orange juice in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling often, until reduced to 2 Tbsp., 10-12 minutes. Pour into a small bowl and let cool.
• Carefully slide a small knife or offset spatula along sides of pan not lined with parchment paper, then use edges of paper to lift out shortbread onto a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, slice into quarters in one direction, then into eighths in the other direction (for larger bars, just cut in half first). Puzzle shortbread bars back into pan the same way they came out; set aside.
• Add powdered sugar to bowl with reduced juice and whisk until smooth. The glaze should fall off the end of the whisk in a thick, glossy, smooth ribbon. If glaze is not pourable and gets stuck in the whisk, add in water a ½-teaspoonful at a time until you get the right consistency. Drizzle glaze over shortbread in pan and use an offset spatula to smooth all the way to the edges. Sprinkle with more poppy seeds and let shortbread sit until glaze is set, at least 1 hour.
• Just before serving, retrace cuts with a sharp knife and remove bars from pan.
• Do Ahead
• Shortbread can be baked 3 days ahead. Once glaze is set, cover tightly and store at room temperature.

BLOOD ORANGE POLENTA DRIZZLE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5 and line a 900ml loaf tin with a long strip of baking paper. Put the butter and caster sugar into a large bowl and beat with electric beaters until really light and fluffy. Whisk in the eggs, 1 at a time, until completely incorporated. Stir through the flour, polenta, baking powder and orange zest, with a pinch of fine salt. Pour into the tin and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer poked into the middle comes out clean. Use the skewer to make 12 holes, about 3⁄4 of the way down, all over the cake.
• Mix together the blood orange juice, lemon juice and 3 tbsp of icing sugar, then pour 1⁄2 over the surface of the cake. Leave to cool completely then use the strip of baking paper to lift the cake onto a platter. Put the remaining icing sugar into a bowl and gradually add the remaining blood orange juice mix, stirring to make a glaze. Spoon over and serve.