Rosemary Orange Blossom Shorbread Biscuits

There is constantly a war in my head about whether to use the american term, “cookie” or the word “biscuit”, which is what I grew up calling the morsels of fat, flour, sugar and eggs that is a cookie/biscuit. I refuse to spell colour without the “u” and sometimes I still write a “cheque” rather than a check but since biscuits in the Southern United States where I live are something quite different from a cookie, I have relented and started using the “c” word. Shortbread, however, in my mind will always be a “biscuit”, cheifly because it is so quintessentially British.

Who doesn’t love the way shortbread melts in one’s mouth with all its buttery goodness? I found a recipe on A Spoonfull of Sugar that adds custard powder to shortbread for an even more melty-in-your-mouthy quality. I adapted this recipe into an Orange Blossom and Rosemary variety of biscuit. Now not only does the baked treat crumble gloriously in your mouth but it does so like an orange flower bomb exploding into your taste buds.

Rosemary Orange Blossom Shortbread Biscuits

Makes about 15 biscuits

125g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened

40g (1/4 cup) icing sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsps orange zest

2 tbs freshly squeezed orange juice

2 tbs orange flower water

1 tbs finely chopped fresh rosemary

100g (2/3 cup) all purpose flour

40g (1/3 cup) custard powder (you can find birds custard powder at wholefoods or any store that carries british foods)

Extra icing sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Using an electrix mixer, beat butter, sugar, vanilla, zest, juice and orange flower water in a bowl until light and fluffy

Mix  the rosemary into the butter mixture with a large metal spoon or spatula

Combine custard powder and flour into the butter mix using a the spoon or spatula

Scoop out little balls of dough (about a tablespoon per scoop), forming a ball with  each scoop, place on greased baking sheet and flatten to form a disk.

Once all your biscuits are shaped onto the sheet bake for 12 minutes and cool the cookies on a cooling rack

Dust with extra icing sugar for serving.

Bon Appetit!