Tuesday 8 June 2021

Pistachio And Orange Blossom Water Shortbreads

I was never a great fan of shortbread till I met Mr P.  His eldest sister (he has 4!) makes the most wonderful, buttery, light as air shortbreads you will ever eat.  Unadorned, beautiful shortbread.  I paused when I saw this recipe which has orange blossom water starring as a flavour.  Reminds me a bit of grandmothers' bathrooms.  Our mate Princess Pia laughed when I said it smells like toilet water - as in, the scent that ladies splash on themselves, not your actual toilet water :-)

This is a recipe by Peter Gordon, the New Zealand chef who has recently moved back to NZ during Covid.  (From his book Peter Gordon a culinary journey.)  After living in the UK for 20 years, he sold his London restaurants to start up again in his home country.  Mm, I seem to have a bit of a thing going with New Zealand at the moment, don't I?  It really IS a fabulous place to visit, and I'd love to live there for a while.  And they have the wondrous Jacinda Ardern for Prime Minister.  Sooooo jelly!


so cute, so delicious


Makes 21 biscuits (tho Peter says 24-30!):


ingredients:


125g./4.5 oz butter, softened (not melted)

100g./3.5 oz caster sugar (I used raw)

1 egg yolk

30 mL/2 U.S. tbs of orange blossom water (or rosewater - my idea)

80g./3 oz ground pistachios (I zapped 'em in the food processor)

200g./7 oz plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

a pinch of sea salt

2 tsp orange zest (my idea)

extra sugar for sprinkling on top


Method:


Cream the butter and sugar together briefly with electric beaters - don't go crazy; Peter says you don't want too much air

Beat in the egg yolk, then gently beat in the orange blossom water and the nuts

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the mixture, and stir till nicely incorporated 

Pat the dough into a nice lump, whack on the cling wrap, flatten slightly and stick in the fridge for an hour to chill down

Then - turn your oven to 180C/360F to warm up

Cut the dough in half, roll out one piece between 2 sheets of baking paper till it's 1/2 cm./0.2 in thick

Make shapes with a biscuit cutter or whatever you fancy, place on a lined baking tray then do the same with the other half of the dough

Prick them with a fork (I forgot to do this!), sprinkle on the sugar and zest and bake - the recipe says 12-18 minutes; mine took 16 mins. - till they start to go golden

Let them cool on the trays for 10 minutes, then place them on wire racks to get cold

Keep in an airtight container for up to a week


grind your nuts - can you even buy 'em already ground??

add the ground nuts to the creamed butter and sugar

wrap in clingfilm, and refrigerate for an hour

cut the chilled dough in half

place the shortbreads on lined trays

a wee bit puffed up 'cos I forgot to prick 'em :-)

sweet, airy, light shortbreads



© Sherry M.

34 comments:

  1. I've always been a fan of shortbread cookies, and I definitely love the addition of pistachio and orange blossom water. I'd definitely add some dried rose petals too (or rose water, as you suggest), but even without it, these cookies are delightful!

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  2. I love all different kinds of cookies, but shortbread cookies are definitely on the top of the list. These look buttery, nutty and literally melt-in-mouth good!

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  3. I love shortbread and have baked plain shortbread successfully, the Scottish in me. These look really interesting, and delicious I'm sure. I am a fan of Rosewater but it has never reminded me of toilet water until now:) Strangely my daughter doesn't like it in baking though. GOOD RECIPE.

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    1. thanks pauline. i like rosewater in cooking i have to say but orange water? mm not so sure.

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  4. Looks the perfect treat with a nice coffee, especially in this cooler weather xo

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  5. I like shortbread anything, quite a bit. So these cookies are perfect! I'm always substituting rose water for orange blossom, or the other way around -- I never have both on hand at the same time, so I use whichever. :-) Nice recipe-- thanks.

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    1. thanks KR. i think i like rosewater better somehow ...

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  6. I made pistachio-saffron shortbreads recently and liked them but I think I would like these more! I love anything with orange blossom water!

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    1. these are good but i'd love to try them with rosewater.

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  7. PS - love the toilet water gag! 🤣

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  8. You had me at shortbread but this looks extra delicious.
    Amalia
    xo

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  9. Ohhh this shortbread must be the best type of shortbread there is, those pistachios would give a lot of nice flavours

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  10. I'm pinning this one as I adore shortbread.

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  11. I love citrus and know I would enjoy your orange shortbread.

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  12. I love citrus and know I would enjoy your orange shortbread.

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  13. I received the best shortbread recipe from a woman in NZ. It must be a thing there! These look gorgeous Sherry! :D

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    1. you may be right lorraine about NZ. they are amazing people:) and thanks!

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  14. Yum! I do love shortbread cookies, but I don't think I've ever baked with orange blossom water. I clearly need to check that off the list sometime soon! These look and sound delicious, Sherry!

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    1. i don't mind orange blossom water but i think i prefer rosewater:) it did go well with the orange zest.

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  15. Sherry, I like your addition of the orange zest. Perfect with the pistachios. Love your pistachio and orange paintings. I had pistachios last week, and it never occurred to me to paint them! Must try it some time. Wish I had two of these biscuits right this minute!

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    1. thanks jean. and thank you re my drawings. they are funny little things to draw.

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  16. Be still my heart -- these sound fabulous. I'm such a sucker for shortbread and I love the thought of the orangeto amp of the flavor. I've never tired orange blossom water -- I'll have to see if I can find it!

    Thanks for coming by and leaving such a nice comment on my strawberry post!

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  17. Shortbread is my dad's favorite cookie, so I am always on the lookout for new recipes. This one sounds great.

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