Boozy Marmalade Shortbread Cookies Food

BOOZY MARMALADE SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• For the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
• With an electric hand mixer, combine the butter, granulated sugar and vanilla and beat on medium high until creamy. Show restraint by not eating too much of this mixture before you can make the cookies. Sift together the flour and salt, and then slowly add to the butter/sugar/vanilla mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined (over-mixing will cause the cookies to be chewy and gross). If your name is Alie Ward, eat half this dough mixture. Form the dough into a disk, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Roll the dough between two pieces of plastic or parchment to 1/8 inch thick. Use a 2 1/2- to 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut dough into 36 to 40 rounds, using a smaller cookie cutter to cut a hole in the center of half the cookies. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart and bake until the edges begin to brown, about 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack until room temp.
• For the boozy marmalade: Mix the orange marmalade, orange liqueur and bitters in a small bowl until combined. Spread about one tablespoon of the mixture on each whole cookie, placing a cookie with the cutout on top. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and devour the cookies whole.

SHORTBREAD TOMBSTONES

Steps:

• Cream the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the flour and salt and work the mixture with your fingers or a pastry blender until all the flour is incorporated. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
• When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface, roll half the dough until it's 1/4-inch thick. Using a small knife, cut out rectangular or slightly rounded tombstone shapes, about 3 inches tall. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Roll and cut the second half of the dough, and place the baking sheets in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. You can gather together scraps and re-roll them.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the shortbread is very lightly golden. Do not let the cookies brown. Remove to a wire rack and cool.
• When the cookies are completely cool, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave in a heatproof bowl for 1 minutes. The chips may look unmelted, but stir them with a spoon to see if they have actually softened before putting them in for another minute, if necessary.
• Spoon the melted chocolate into a zipper-lock bag. Seal the bag, pressing out any air. Use a toothpick to make a very tiny hole in one corner of the bag to release a thin stream of chocolate for writing. Decorate tombstones with crosses and RIP or other writing as desired. Allow the chocolate to set before stacking the cookies.