Vanilla Bean Shortbread Sandwiches with Orange Buttercream

By carvalhohm

Make the vanilla-flavored shortbread in advance and store them in the freezer. Then when you're ready to present them, add the fresh orange frosting to make an elegant sandwich cookie.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour see savings
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar see savings
• 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise or 2 teaspoons vanilla see savings
• 1/2 cup butter see savings
• 1/4 cup butter, softened see savings
• 2 cups powdered sugar see savings
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk see savings
• 1/2 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel see savings

Preparation

Step 1

1.Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In large bowl, stir together flour and granulated sugar. With tip of knife, scrape pulp from vanilla bean. Using pastry blender, cut in 1/2 cup butter and half vanilla bean pulp (or 1 teaspoon vanilla) until mixture resembles fine crumbs and starts to cling. Knead dough until smooth and form into ball.

2.On lightly floured surface, roll dough into 8x6-inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Using pastry wheel or sharp knife, cut rectangle into twenty-four 2x1-inch rectangles. Transfer dough rectangles to ungreased cookie sheet, leaving 1 inch between rectangles. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack; let cool.

3.For Orange Buttercream: In large bowl, beat 1/4 cup butter with electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, remaining half of vanilla bean pulp (or 1 teaspoon vanilla), and orange peel. Beat until smooth. Beat in remaining 1 cup powdered sugar and enough additional milk to make frosting of piping consistency.

4.Transfer Orange Buttercream to pastry bag fitted with small closed star tip. Pipe frosting on bottom of each of half of cookies. Top with remaining half of cookies, flat sides down. Makes 12 sandwich cookies.

5.Layer unassembled cookies between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw cookies, if frozen. Assemble sandwich cookies as directed in Steps 3 and 4.