Christmas Shortbread

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream or 2 tablespoons whipping cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh orange zest
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup rice flour

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 325°.
• 2 beat butter in large bowl till light.
• 3 slowly beat in sugar, egg yolk, cream, vanilla and orange peel.
• 4 stir in both flours with heavy wooden spoon.
• 5 work with fingers till soft dough is formed.
• 6 knead briefly, form into ball.
• 7 butter and flour shortbread mold, press dough evenly over surface. or, if you do not have a mold, butter and flour the underside of a 9-inch round cake pan, press dough evenly over the top, then invert the dough onto a cornmeal-sprinkled baking sheet.
• 8 loosening it with a spatula if necessary.
• 9 bake till the edges of the shortbread begins to pale golden brown, 40-50 minutes.
• 10 if baking on baking sheet, remove from oven after first 10 minutes and press lightly in the center with a decorative cutter or butter mold, score into 12 wedges around the pattern using a pastry wheel or serrated knife.
• 11 continue to bake till the edges begin to turn golden.
• 12 cool on wire rack.